Where We Live: Those Aching Joints

Arthritis is the number one cause of disability and chronic pain in the United States.  The treatment of the disease costs the nation more than $128 billion a year. 

These big numbers are linked to the fact that more than 80% of Americans either suffer from arthritis or know someone who does.  This doesn’t just means aches and pains – but it means a population that can’t move around as much, and fight off obesity.

Women, African-Americans and Latinos have a greater incidence of co-morbid disease as a result of arthritis than the rest of the population. 

Coming up, we’ll talk to Dr. Judith Fifield from UCONN along with some of the top specialists, as they prepare to head to a national conference later in the month – to explore some of these health disparities.

And we’ll hear about how moose living on an island on Lake Superior are helping researchers better understand arthritis.