Arthritis hits African-Americans, Hispanics harder than whites

While whites are most likely to have arthritis than African-Americans and Hispanics, their joint pain is more severe than what is experience by white people.

In America 1 in 5 adults are affected by arthritis. The condition is the leading cause of disability, interfering with work and life style. Arthritis can also make it difficult in the management of other chronic diseases. African-Americans were 17 percent less likely to report the condition than white Americans but when it came to severe joint pain they were twice as likely to be affected. That pain made work limited for them and for Hispanics, who have severe pain even with a less than 46 percent than whites of reporting the condition. One theory regarding the greater pain felt by African-Americans and Hispanics is lack of access to health care, language barriers and cultural differences, says a study published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease. "We must address these stark differences in arthritis impact by using what we know,’’ said Jennifer Hootman, an epidemiologist for the CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and co-author of the report. “We can educate those with arthritis about increasing physical activity and self-management and reducing obesity, especially those in groups bearing a disproportionate burden from arthritis." The study, "Difference in the Prevalence and Impact of Arthritis among Racial/Ethnic Groups" was the result of a CDC National Health Interview Survey.