September is Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month
This September we recognize Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM), a national awareness event sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and its public awareness campaign, Simple Tasks™. RDAM was created to raise awareness of the 100+ conditions under the umbrella of rheumatic disease, including osteoarthritis (OA).
 To address the high prevalence of OA and its rising health impact and growing economic consequences, the OA Action Alliance partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Arthritis Foundation to issue A National Public Health Agenda for OA: 2020 Update. The Agenda was developed by leading experts and features nine strategies to improve health and quality of life among millions of Americans with OA. To further facilitate uptake and implementation of these strategies, companion “Action Briefs” were written for seven sectors critical to helping reduce the burden of OA:
- Health professionals
- Employers
- Insurers
- Community-based organizations
- Policy makers
- Healthcare system leaders
- Public health professionals
Each brief outlines important information about OA and relevant, compelling data to make the case for Why OA Matters to members of each sector. RDAM is a prime opportunity to raise awareness about OA and the urgent need to reduce its burden.
In addition to RDAM, September is also Pain Awareness Month. Because pain is the #1 challenge people with arthritis face, The OA Action Alliance is proud to support the Arthritis Foundation’s efforts in helping individuals with arthritis treat and manage chronic pain so they can live their best life. The Arthritis Foundation offers an abundance of tips, resources, and support for those impacted by arthritis. Learn more at arthritis.org/pain.
–Bob Marley
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