If you suffer from the pain of arthritis, lupus or fibromyalgia, then you understand the scope of a rheumatic disease. Rheumatic diseases are the leading cause of disability in the United States and affect one-in-four Americans. By the year 2040, it’s estimated that more than 78 million American will be diagnosed with one of the many rheumatic diseases.
September 2017 is the second annual Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month, an initiative created by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), to raise awareness about arthritis, lupus, gout, and more than 100 forms of rheumatic diseases. These diseases come with a price tag of more than $128 billion annually in medical expenditures. While research suggests the cause of rheumatic disease is a combination of genetic and environmental factors, the exact cause of these diseases is still unknown.
Learn more about rheumatic diseases and the Simple Tasks initiative sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology, which aims to raise awareness of the severe impact of rheumatic diseases and highlight the health care policy issues that affect patients’ ability to access high-quality care. You can get informed…and get help.