Building the OA Action Alliance: A National Platform for Osteoarthritis (OA)

Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the U.S. and osteoarthritis (OA) is the nation's most common form of arthritis, affecting 27 million Americans. OA primarily affects the hands, knees and hips, and its prevention and control are vital to improving the quality of life of those with this chronic disease. To address this urgent need, A National Public Health Agenda for Osteoarthritis, 2010 was launched by the Arthritis Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response to the OA Agenda, the OA Action Alliance, a coalition of concerned stakeholders and partner organizations, was formed. The coalition allowed the organizations to combine resources, increase the impact of each organization's efforts, and make implementation of the OA Agenda recommendations a reality by elevating OA as a public health priority and promoting program and policy solutions. The purpose of this presentation is to explain the process of forming the OA Action Alliance coalition, describe the current activities of the coalition and explain the progress the coalition has made over the course of the previous year. Future coalition initiatives will be also discussed, as well as evaluation criteria for the coalition's activities.