#LearnArthritis Awareness Movement:: I pledge to learn about different types of arthritis
- Target:
- Public
- Region:
- GLOBAL
- Website:
- www.learnarthritis.org
Join the Movement: Sign the pledge that you believe arthritis types should be differentiated!
WHY SHOULD I CARE?
For decades, society has typically associated the word arthritis with joint pain resulting from degeneration caused by age, wear and tear, or injury. However, the condition of arthritis can also be associated with diseases where the joint pain is one part of a more complex disorder. Additionally, the degree to which arthritis affects each patient is unique, based on several factors such as severity of progression, treatment regimens, genetics, and other onset triggers. Lack of global education about the types of arthritis, specifically as it relates to inflammatory diseases, has led to several issues for the patient, including:
1. Delays in detection, referral, diagnosis and necessary treatments.
-Delays can lead to irreversible disease progression (to tissues and organs in addition to joints) and an unnecessary compromised quality of life.
-Given these diseases typically present early in life (including during childhood), any disability caused by delays could drastically effect long term healthcare costs.
2. Those not fully educated about autoimmune and auto-inflammatory diseases may believe the patient is exaggerating the severity of their symptoms.
-Those who have experience with, or know someone who has had the most common, degenerative form of arthritis, often assume inflammatory types of arthritis are the same. This can lead to personal and professional challenges, relationship conflicts, self-esteem issues, and depression.
-Due partly to a lack of arthritis differentiation in the media, too many only know the milder versions of osteoarthritis, which can be helped with over the counter medications or simple diet changes.
Nothing can combat misunderstanding and lack of awareness better than education. Fortunately at IFAA, the nonprofit leading this campaign, not only are we patients living with these diseases, but we are led by current and former educators. Who better to lead a campaign to #LearnArthritis?
Let's create a new reality, one where the world understands the different types of arthritis.
Please sign your name to let us know YOU pledge to support differentiation in arthritis types!
It's going to take a multi-tiered, major awareness movement to teach the world about the different types of arthritis, but it has to happen to help accelerate early detection and diagnosis and to ensure patients - with all levels of arthritis - are being understood. You can help by:
1. Signing this pledge.
2. Telling your story about why arthritis needs to be differentiated via social media (use #LearnArthritis hashtag.
3. Joining or starting an awareness movement team (learn more: LearnArthritis.org)
If you are pledging as part of a team, enter your team name in the comments box. The following teams have formed to show their support of this cause. You may choose one of them or create your own team:
-IFAA (Nonprofit, international)
-Arthritis Consumer Experts/JointHealth (Nonprofit, based in Canada)
-Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc. (Nonprofit, based in the United States)
-National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases (Nonprofit/Research, based in the United States)
-Fighting for Ankylosing Spondylitis (Nonprofit, Social Media Group, based in the United States)
-Crescendo Bioscience Vectra DA Ambassadors (Pharmaceutical/Patient Advocates)
-InCrowd, Inc (Marketing Research Company, Based in United States)
-ALCO Sales & Service Company (Medical Equipment, based in the United States)
-Conway's Pharmacy & Healthcare (Based in Canada)
-Compu-Tax & Accounting Arizona (Based in the United States)
-WEGO Health
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The #LearnArthritis Awareness Movement:: I pledge to learn about different types of arthritis petition to Public was written by IFAA and is in the category Health at GoPetition.