Arthritis Policy Resources

The mission of the CDC’s Arthritis Program is to improve the quality of life of people affected by arthritis. Environmental and societal conditions may influence the availability and access to activities and programs that reduce pain and improve function and quality of life for people with arthritis.  Exploring policy solutions, expanding partnerships, and supporting environmental solutions to address arthritis are critical for improving arthritis public health practices.

For information about the key focus areas of the CDC’s Arthritis Program, visit the About CDC’s Arthritis Program page.

 

Resources

CDC Arthritis At-A-Glance: Improving the Quality of Life for People With Arthritis

The annual CDC Arthritis At-A-Glance provides a current, comprehensive overview of CDC’s Arthritis Program activities that include epidemiology and surveillance, environmental approaches, health interventions, and community programs linked to clinical services. Learn more from the Arthritis At A Glance.

The Arthritis Foundation’s Environmental and Policy Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Adults With Arthritis and corresponding Physical Activity Implementation Guide Webpage

The Arthritis Foundation, through a cooperative agreement with CDC, identified strategies for increasing physical activity among adults with arthritis in the 2012 publication Environmental and Policy Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Adults With Arthritis. Individuals with arthritis have disease–specific barriers to being physically active and often have other co-occurring chronic diseases that also are associated with physical inactivity. Physical activity is beneficial for adults with arthritis, yet despite these benefits adults with arthritis have higher rates of physical inactivity than those without arthritis. This report focuses on increasing physical activity because of the many benefits for adults with arthritis, the unique role policy and environmental strategies can have in addressing arthritis-specific barriers to physical activity, and the other long-established benefits physical activity has for co-occurring chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Visit the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance website to read the report [PDF – 3.16 MB].

The Arthritis Foundation’s Physical Activity Implementation Guide webpage, released in 2014, can be used to help put into action these strategies to increase physical activity. The guide identifies six influential sectors that play important roles in influencing and sustaining physical activity among adults with arthritis. These sectors can use the guide to carry out the strategies identified in the report. Visit the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance website to learn more from the Physical Activity Implementation Guide.

 

Activities

Osteoarthritis Action Alliance

CDC is a sponsor and member of the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA), a national coalition created with the Arthritis Foundation to promote and respond to the goals and recommendations contained in A National Public Health Agenda for Osteoarthritis. Under the coordination and oversight of the University of North Carolina, over 90 partner organizations are working together to reduce the burden of osteoarthritis through strategies that address physical activity, injury prevention, and weight management.

The mission of the OAAA is to work collectively to advance the recommendations outlined in A National Public Health Agenda for Osteoarthritis  [PDF – 175KB] by promoting action to prevent and control osteoarthritis and its progression through proven interventions, public policies, communication strategies, and enhanced research initiatives. For more information about the work of the Alliance and how to join, visit the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance website.

Osteoarthritis Action Alliance Sub-Awards to Implement the Environmental and Policy Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Adults with Arthritis

The Environmental and Policy Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Adults with Arthritis report focuses on the benefits of physical activity and ways to make physical activity more convenient and accessible for adults with arthritis. Developed by the Arthritis Foundation in partnership with CDC and others, the report focuses on six sectors that play crucial roles in reaching, influencing, and sustaining physical activity among adults with arthritis. The OAAA, through the leadership of the University of North Carolina, continues to fund annual mini-grant awards to community organizations to implement strategies within the various sectors. Visit the OAAA website to read the report [PDF – 3.16 MB].

Exploring Employee Health and Wellness Benefit Packages

Through a continuing partnership with CDC and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), Medworks Consulting is educating multiple employers throughout the United States about the benefits of offering evidence-based arthritis interventions as part of health and wellness benefit packages for employees. Additionally, Medworks is exploring options for workplace or insurer-related financing of these programs and will educate health insurance companies about the benefits of promoting arthritis evidence-based interventions. For more information, contact Mari Brick at NACCD.

 

Back to About CDC’s Arthritis Program.