Topic: General Health

Arthritis Cases o­n the Rise, Finds Comparative National Study, Underscoring the Need for Cost-Effective Care and Disability-Reduction Efforts

“Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions exact a large and growing economic toll o­n the nation as a result of the increase in numbers of persons affected, rather than an increase in mean expenditures and earnings losses,” attests Charles G. Helmick, M.D., at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He bases his conclusion o­n a nationwide assessment of medical expenditures and earnings losses associated with arthritis in 2003, compared with figures six years before. The findings and their implications are featured in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism ( http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/arthritis).

MS is a degenerative disease of the nervous system that can lead to muscle weakness, blurred vision and disability. About 2.5 million people are estimated to suffer from the disease.

"We're coming from a situation where coffee had a very negative health image," Dr. Rob van Dam of the Harvard School of Public Health, who has conducted studies o­n coffee consumption and diabetes, told Reuters Health. Nevertheless, he added, "it's not like we're promoting coffee as the new health food and asking people who don't like coffee to drink coffee for their health."