New survey findings reveal emotional and physical toll of rheumatoid arthritis and the advancement of treatment through “Generations”

Emotional and physical limitations are significant challenges cited by people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to the results released from two new, groundbreaking parallel surveys. According to the GeneRAtions™ surveys one of which includes feedback from more than 1,000 people living with RA and a second that polled more than 300 physicians specialising in the treatment of RA people with RA felt sad or depressed because of their disease an average of 25 days in three months and had difficulty with normal daily activities for 31 days in the same time period. The surveys form the basis of a new disease awareness initiative, GeneRAtions, which is focused on increasing understanding of RA through the perspectives of varying "RA generations" people who have lived with or physicians who have treated RA for different lengths of time over a 30-year span.

"It’s difficult to explain to people, even as a former Olympic athlete, why I sometimes struggle because of my RA. Many people don’t understand how great the mental and physical challenges can be when living with this condition," said Joy Fawcett, Olympic gold medallist and retired member of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team, who has been living with RA for more than a decade, and is a spokesperson for the GeneRAtions program, developed by Centocor, Inc. "I’m fortunate that in the 10 years since my diagnosis, education and treatment for the disease have improved, but we need to continue this momentum."

The GeneRAtions surveys, conducted by Manhattan Research and supported by Centocor, Inc., are the first to provide new insights into the physical, emotional and social effects including the impact of RA on relationships, work, and overall daily living of a debilitating disease that affects 1.3 million Americans. The survey results also highlight changes in physicians’ approaches to treating RA over the past 30 years, the progress that has been made in managing the disease, particularly because of important treatment advances in the past decade, as well as patient and physician perspectives about the future of treatment. Key findings revealed that:

• More than 90 percent of people with RA surveyed reported that their disease interfered with their work in the last three months, illustrating how RA can impede many facets of people’s lives.
• Physicians surveyed rated limitations on physical activities as the most restrictive consequence of RA for their patients.
• More than half of patients surveyed agreed that the public does not understand the difference between RA, a chronic autoimmune disorder, and osteoarthritis, which results from wear and tear on the joints.
• Two out of three of all patients surveyed believed that friends and family underestimate the impact of RA. More than half of all respondents felt that their doctors do not fully understand the impact of RA on their patients.
• While nearly three out of five RA patients are satisfied with their physician’s ability to effectively treat their RA with current therapies, more than 80 percent are looking forward to the future for new innovative options.

Comprehensive survey findings, as well as testimonials from people living with RA and physicians sharing their own personal experiences related to the disease, are available on the program website, http://www.RAGeneRAtions.com.

"The specialty of rheumatology has made tremendous strides over the last 30 years when my father, also a rheumatologist, was practicing and aspirin was the standard treatment.

Today the standard treatment for people living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis includes disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic therapies that inhibit specific proteins like tumour necrosis factor (TNF)," said Hayes Wilson, MD, Chief of Rheumatology, Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia. "Initiatives like GeneRAtions will bring awareness to this serious illness which can affect entire families; and in turn, may give rheumatologists the opportunity to prevent the debilitating effects of RA."

"Findings from the GeneRAtions surveys provide interesting perspectives relative to both patient and physician insights," said Seth D. Ginsberg, Co-Founder and President, CreakyJoints, an arthritis advocacy group. "We are pleased to note the progress made so far in education and treatment and will continue our efforts to increase awareness of RA and improve patients’ quality of life."

About the GeneRAtions Surveys

The GeneRAtions surveys, completed in the first half of 2008, were fielded via one-time online inquiries of 1,050 RA patients and 307 practicing rheumatologists and primary care physicians specialising in the care of patients with RA. The population was wholly examined and further sub-segmented by the length of time RA patients had been diagnosed or time that physicians had been practicing. Specific subsets consisted of individuals living with RA or a physician practicing for 10 years or less, 11-20 years, and 21 years or more. Each of the survey’s generational breakouts revealed the differences or similarities in experiences that people living with RA can have depending on the amount of time living with the disease since diagnosis or the amount of time a physician has been practicing and caring for patients with RA.

About Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and debilitating disease that affects approximately 1.3 million people in the United States. Signs and symptoms of RA include pain, stiffness and motion restriction in multiple joints. Because RA is a progressive disease, it can cause permanent joint deformity and severe disability if not diagnosed early or if initial treatment is delayed. RA can occur at any age, but is most common in adults 30-50 years old and is two-to-three times more prevalent in women than in men. The cause of RA is unknown, although genetic factors may contribute to the disease.

(Source: GeneRAtions: Manhattan Research: July 2008)