Badley EM, Kasman NM. The Impact of Arthritis on Canadian Women.
Women’s Health Surveillance Report. BMC Women’s Health.
2004 Aug;4(Suppl 1):S18:1-10. [Pub
Med ID 15345081]
Health Issue
Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in Canada and
a leading cause of long-term disability, pain, and increased health
care utilization. It is also a far more prevalent condition among
women than men. Information was obtained primarily from the1998-99
National Population Health Survey (NPHS) and the Canadian Joint Replacement
Registry (CJRR).
[more…]
The analyses in this chapter are based on the cross-sectional household
data from the third cycle (1998-1999) of the NPHS as well as
the CJRR which is a newer national registry (launched in 2000)
that collects information on total hip and total knee replacement
surgeries performed in Canada.
Key Findings
In 1998, the overall prevalence of self-reported arthritis or rheumatism
in Canadian women was 20.0%. This rate increased to 55.6% among
women over 75 years of age. Compared to women with chronic conditions, women
with arthritis were more likely to experience long-term disability; report
worse health; experience more pain; be dependent upon others and consult
general practitioners, specialists, and physiotherapists more frequently.
While men and women with arthritis under-utilize total joint replacement
surgery, the degree of under-use was over three times greater for women.
[more…]
Arthritis is a disease which affects individuals from all socio-economic
classes. However, a higher percentage of women who reported low
or middle income and fewer years of education reported arthritis
than did women from higher socio-economic classes (see Figure
1 below). Arthritis has a major impact in terms of long-term
disability, which is measured in the NPHS as long-term activity restriction
at home, at work, at school, or in leisure-time activities (see Figure
5 below). Approximately, 50% of men and women with arthritis
reported long-term disability as compared with about 20% of women with
other chronic conditions and less than 5% of women with no chronic conditions.
Arthritis was also strongly associated with a report of poor self-rated
health, in that more than 30% of women with arthritis reported
only fair or poor health (see Figure 6). A much lower proportion (10%)
of women with chronic conditions other than arthritis and less than 2%
of women with no chronic conditions rated their health as fair or poor.
Data Gaps and Recommendations
There is a lack of detailed information on the use of health care services
by women with arthritis. There are also no systematic data available
on the prescribing of medications, access to services such as assistive
devices or exercise programs, or use of community support, self-management
strategies, or rehabilitation services. The burden of arthritis
both on women and on society is expected to increase as the population
ages. A comprehensive health strategy to reduce the impact of arthritis
is required to ensure that health and support services are available
in a timely manner and provided in such a way to meet the needs of Canadian
women.
[more…]
According to the NPHS, compared with women with other chronic conditions,
women with arthritis were older, had lower incomes and fewer
years of education and were more likely to be widowed and out
of the labour force. Consequently, it appears that the women
who are experiencing arthritis may be the women with the fewest
resources to deal with the impact of the condition on their daily lives.
List of Tables and Figures (in the publication)
- Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of 1998/99 NPHS
respondents, stratified by sex and disease status.
- Table 2. Number and prevalence of self-reported arthritis or
rheumatism, by age and sex.
- Table 3. International prevalence rates of rheumatoid arthritis
by sex.
- Table 4. Percentage of women in income, education, and employment
classes, by disease status.
- Table 5. Health status measures of 1998/99 NPHS respondents,
stratified by sex and disease status.
- Table 6. Percentage of women with health impacts, by disease
status.
- Table 7. Health care utilization by 1998/99 NPHS respondents,
stratified by sex and disease status.
- Table 8. Percentage of women using health care services by
disease status.
- Table 9. Age specific rates (per 100,000 population) of total
knee replacement procedures, by sex, Canada, 1999-2000.
Selected Tables and Figures from the Publication (with interpretation)
It is clear from the following figures that women with arthritis are
more disabled and have poorer health than women with other chronic
conditions or no chronic conditions. Women with arthritis are more
likely to be on long-term disability, and are more restricted in
their activities than other women.
Figure 1. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of 1998/99 NPHS Respondents,
Stratified by Sex and Disease Status.
Figure 5. Health Status Measures of 1998/99 NPHS Respondents, Stratified
by Sex and Disease Status.
Figure 6. Percentage of women with health impacts, by disease status.
Source: NPHS, Statistics Canada, 1998-1999.
Supplementary Tables and Figures (with interpretation)
As seen in Figures 1-3, arthritis/rheumatism is a common chronic condition
in women of all ages.
Figures 1-3. Top ten chronic conditions in women by age. Source: CCHS, Statistics Canada, 2000-2001.
Figure 4. Proportion of women in the overweight/obese category. Source:
CCHS, Statistics Canada, 2000-2001.
In Figure 4, it is clear that at all ages, the proportion of women who
are overweight or obese with arthritis is greater than other women
with or without chronic conditions.
Figure 5. Proportion of women reporting trouble sleeping most of the time.
Source: CCHS, Statistics Canada, 2000-2001.
In Figure 5, it is apparent that women with arthritis have more difficulty
with sleep than other women with or without other chronic conditions.
