Data shows one in five women suffer from rheumatic ailment in India
Team L&M
More than 20 per cent (one in five women) suffer from bone and joint pain of rheumatic nature in India, says the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Community Oriented Programme for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD). This fact is also corroborated by leading rheumatology experts.
The survey of prevalence and risk factors of arthritis was led by Dr Arvind Chopra, Director and Chief Rheumatologist, Center for Rheumatic Diseases, Pune. He is also the Ayush Distinguished Scientist Chair for Public Health and Epidemiology, Government of India. The findings were based on a pooled analysis of data from more than 56,500 people in 21 urban and rural sites. These were published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases recently.
Based on simple extrapolation of study outcome data to the Indian population, findings show 12.71 crore of the 19.52 crore suffering from arthritis pains are women. Further, around 20-22 per cent of women in India suffer from some kind of bone and joint pain of rheumatic nature.
More than 42.2 lakh Indias, of whom 35.1 lakh are women, suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. It is a serious, crippling and extremely painful complex arthritis requiring special treatment. Rheumatoid arthritis is also a known cause of premature heart attacks and death. Around 11.7 lakh women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were estimated to be young and in their reproductive age group. Significantly, this number is very high compared to other countries.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Says Dr Reena Sharma, President of Rheumatology Association Gujarat, “Rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders are among the most prevalent and burdensome conditions in India. But, these are neglected and under-reported. With crores of people in India living with arthritis-related pain, there is an urgent need for greater awareness. Further, better integration between modern and traditional systems, and stronger clinical collaboration is a must.”
According to the findings, 5.4 crore Indians live with osteoarthritis, commonly affecting the knees and spine. Osteoarthritis and lower back pain are the most common causes of disability. More than 1.72 crore people experience diffuse or localised musculoskeletal pain due to causes ranging from occupational strain, mental stress, age, poor lifestyle, and personal habits, including misuse of mobile phones. Manual labour, obesity, tobacco consumption, and low socio-economic status are among the other key risk factors. Moreover, arthritis pain was the number one self-reported illness amongst all recorded illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and stomach ailments.
Dr. Arvind Chopra, who has been conducting COPCORD surveys since 1996 and is the Chief Coordinator of India in global COPCORD studies, said, “Arthritic ailments are on the rise in India due to a variety of factors. It is not limited to urban areas but is also becoming a huge problem in rural areas. This conclave is an important step forward in understanding the burden and societal impact of arthritis in India, and in developing effective strategies for prevention and control of arthritis and related disorders by bringing together diverse disciplines.”
