• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults (46 million people) have arthritis—the nation’s most common cause of disability. The prevalence of osteoarthritis has increased to 27 million people, up from the previous estimate of 21 million in 2000.
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that the odds of joint pain went up as weight did.  People over 60 years old have 60 percent chance of having joint pain if they are obese.
  
  
• The pain and disability of arthritis can be decreased through early diagnosis and appropriate disease management, which can include things like weight control and physical activity.
  
  
• Because the “baby boomer” generation is entering the prime years for arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation has warned that an epidemic of osteoarthritis may occur without proper lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress and lessening repetitive strain on muscles and joints.
  
  
• Thirty-three percent of people working in the United States are limited by arthritis. In every state, people with work-related limitations attributed to arthritis reported being employed less frequently than working-age adults in the state overall.
  
  
• As many as half of all patients fail to take their medications as directed; in fact 55-70 percent of people suffering from arthritis are said to be noncompliant to their medications.
  
  
• The pharmacist/patient relationship is increasingly important in helping patients use their medications properly. Research shows that pharmacist intervention improves patient compliance and that compliance improves patient outcomes while lowering overall health care costs.

• Pharmacists play a vital role in the prevention, detection and treatment of arthritis—a disease from which 1 in 5 adult Americans suffer, according to the CDC.
  
  
• Arthritis is the nation’s most common cause of disability, each year resulting in disability and unemployment of more than 33 percent of people in the US who suffer from this disease, according to the CDC.

DETECTION

• Often the first medical professional to detect arthritis in a patient is a pharmacist because they commonly work with customers to manage joint pain with over-the-counter medications.  Pharmacists can help identify early warning signs of arthritis and refer patients to their doctor in an effort to stop the crippling effects of the disease.

PREVENTION

• Unlike Rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease and cannot be prevented, osteoarthritis can be controlled and even prevented, according to the Journal of Rheumatology. 
• Taking an active role in one’s joint management and seeking early medical advice are active steps a person’s can take to prevent osteoarthritis.
• According to the US Surgeon General's Office, the odds of developing osteoarthritis increase by 9 to 13 percent for every two-pound increase in weight. Being 20 pounds overweight doubles a person’s chances of getting arthritis.
• Osteoarthritis can be managed by keeping active, shedding extra weight and actively managing the joint pain.  The goal of treatment is to control the pain and minimize joint damage. One’s doctor and pharmacist can work as a team to prevent joint pain, joint deformity, and disability.

TREATMENT

• The pharmacist/patient relationship is increasingly important in helping patients use their medications properly. According to Forum Drug Utilization Review, 55-70% of people suffering from arthritis are said to be noncompliant to their medications. Pharmacist drug therapy management improves outcomes for managing the disease.
• Not only do pharmacists refer patients to a doctor for diagnosis, but they also counsel and advise the patient on therapy management between prescription and over-the-counter medications, suggest alternatives for joint pain management, as well as encourage lifestyle changes such as exercise and changes in diet to help manage the disease.
• Albertsons pharmacists have both the knowledge and insight to suggest a healthy diet, and to recommend foods that naturally reduce joint pain and inflammation.