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EPID 624 - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases- Spring 2018


The Arthritides

Review the elements of epidemiology in chapter 18 of the required text. Consider the population risks and any difference between male and female and different races. Look at the recommendations for screening and decide whether you agree with them and look at examples of evidence-based interventions and decide what other interventions you might think of at the population level. Compare figure 18.2 to similar figures in previous sessions then go to page 577and review material on osteo and rheumatoid arthritis and gout. consider the discussions on prevention and control and compare them to the recommendations you will find on the CDC web pages on arthritis, as well as CDC's vital signs for arthritis

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National Public Health Week Activities, Thanks to Danielle.

 

male disability

Can you find similar data for females?

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Look at the CDC home page on Rheumatoid Arthritis. Review the descriptions of the major different arthritides as well as Information for Professionals.
Look at any issue of the CDC Journal on "Preventing Chronic  Disease" to see the value of this journal, then read this recent article "Ten Years of Preventing Chronic Disease." What can you find out about the current policies on "arthritis"?
What data can you find on prevalence and incidence? Hint:click on each item in the impact section of the page (including case definitions) then go to the CDC arthritis page, which provides data you need for each type of arthritis. Which of the surveillance tools at CDC give optimal data for Rheumatoid Arthritis? please click on the chronic disease state policy tracking system and now the thousands of policies later this rather than any collection of coordinated policies which could in fact be tracked.
How does arthritis Affect the cost of health/medical care?  As common as arthritis is how do the costs compared to those for diabetes?
Total Medical Expenditures Among U.S. Adults with Arthritis. How is CDC planning to reduce the incidence and prevalence of arthritis? Are they focusing on treatment to improve activities of daily living?
Arthritis at a glance, Note that the second paragraph identifiesmore than 100 diseases and conditions that affect the joints.
Estimates of the Prevalence of Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Conditions in the United States. ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM: Vol. 58, No. 1, January 2008. Pay attention to the Discussion on page 8. Does it differ from the CDC estimates on costs?
What resources for community education can  you find at the Arthritis Foundation?  Note the video on controlling pain.
What information can you find out about the costs the the health care systems of Arthritis.?
From this article what can you find out about the current standard for diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis? Also look at the ICD-9 definitions.
What data can you find on prevalence and incidence? Which of the surveillance tools at CDC give optimal data for Rheumatoid Arthritis?
How does arthritis Affect the cost of health/medical care?
Total Medical Expenditures Among U.S. Adults with Arthritis increased by 100 Billion Dollars. What drives the increasing cost of arthritis interventions?
How is CDC planning to reduce the incidence and prevalence of arthritis? Are they focusing on treatment to improve activities of daily living?

A major problem with the arthritides in particular is Chronic Pain. Does this graphic from Science help you think about what can be done to assist patients? can you find out how pain is measured? Is there a gold standard for such measurement? View this TED talk on Osteoarthritis.
Look at the NIH Page on Osteoarthritis and compare it with the CDC page on Osteoarthritis. Which is more useful to you in thinking about population interventions? Then look at the CDC’s Arthritis related statistics.
Osteoporosis Data Brief at the NHANES site and that the NIH's Calcium & Bone Health
View the NIH Osteoporosis Web Site. Look at the facts & figures as well as the prevention recommendations.
Look at the Osteoporosis facts from the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
A new study was published in February in the BMJ attempting to relate milk intake to fractures and Mortality and is worth reading to get a feel for the difficulty in analyzing dietary elements.
Finally you need to think about the fact that some arthritis is related to an STD infection:Chlamydia and Reiter’s syndrome

Additional Articles:
Gout
W
hen should treatment be stopped?
When is surgery successful?

You may find this TED talk about pain relief both interesting & fun.

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