On today’s episode of Arthritis at Home, Kelly Lendvoy, ACE’s VP Communications and Public Affairs and Ellen Wang, Programs Coordinator, takes a deeper look ACE’s latest JointHealth™ insight newsletter on osteoarthritis in Canada. Learn more about the cost of osteoarthritis to the healthcare system, the connection between sport injury and osteoarthritis, treating and managing osteoarthritis, and equity considerations for osteoarthritis care.

Additional learning resources:

• JointHealth™ insight – Osteoarthritis in Canada: Prevention, treatment and management
• 3 fab facts for happy joints
• Talk to Your Doctor About Joint Pain Handout

ACE Survey Report on Arthritis and Health Inequities

Health inequities and disparities in Canada exist, are persistent, and in some cases, are growing. ACE recently conducted a national survey to identify inequities relating to access to health care services between white and Black, Indigenous, and person of colour (BIPOC) respondents.

On this episode of Arthritis at Home, Kelly Lendvoy, ACE’s VP Communications and Public Affairs and Ellen Wang, Programs Coordinator, discuss the findings from the ACE Survey on Arthritis and Health Inequities.

ACE extends its sincere thanks to the people who took time to participate in this important community-led research and to our community partners who helped promote the Survey.

Additional learning resources:

• JointHealth™ insight – ACE National Survey on Arthritis and Health Inequities
• ACE Survey on Arthritis and Health Inequities Infographic
• ACE National Survey on virtual care services for people living with arthritis: Examining virtual health inequities
• ACE Survey on Arthritis and Mental Health

Research has shown that smoking increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but less is known about what happens to people who have established RA. But new research (October 2022) from an early arthritis registry in Sweden shows that current smoking makes RA disease activity worse and negatively impacts health-related quality of life. In this episode of Arthritis At Home, Cheryl Koehn of Arthritis Consumer Experts talks with Dr. Kamran Shojania about the specific harms of smoking in people living with RA and shares his thoughts on how to discuss quitting with his patients.

Additional learning resources:

• Quitting smoking: Provincial and territorial services
• Toll-free number you can reach a “quit-coach”: 1-866-366-3667
• First Nations Health Authority on Respecting Tobacco

After two years of virtual meetings, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) will hold its annual meeting in Philadelphia and provide five days of opportunities for scientists, rheumatologists, arthritis health professionals, industry, educators, patient advocates and trainees to learn about cutting-edge science and engage with colleagues from around the world.

In today’s episode of Arthritis At Home, learn more about ACE’s participation at the ACR conference when we speak to ACE team members, Ellen Wang, Programs Coordinator, and Cheryl Koehn, President, about the exciting work they are presenting at the meeting.

To follow our #ACR22 coverage, please subscribe to receive our JointHealth™ express newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

In this episode of Arthritis At Home, Ellen Wang, Programs Coordinator for Arthritis Consumer Experts, speaks to Phyllis Gregg, a person living with osteoarthritis, about how she prepared for knee surgery. Their conversation covers how Phyllis worked with her surgeon and the role of physical activity and nutrition pre and post operation. Common challenges and thoughtful tips are also discussed.

Additional learning resources

• JointHealth™ insight: The Road to Joint Replacement Surgery
• GLA:D® Canada: Exercise
• OsteoArthritis Service Integration System: Nutrition, Supplements and Arthritis
• UnLockFood: Easing the pain of osteoarthritis

In this episode of Arthritis At Home, Cheryl Koehn, President of Arthritis Consumer Experts, speaks to Phyllis Gregg, a person living with osteoarthritis, about her obesity journey and the physical challenges it has imposed on her body and life.

Additional learning resources

• Osteoarthritis – The most common and costly arthritis in Canada
• Talk to your doctor about joint pain
• Ideal body weight calculator
• Osteoarthritis Action Alliance
• Osteoarthritis in Canada
• Connect with Phyllis Gregg on Twitter

In this episode of Arthritis At Home, Ellen Wang, Programs Coordinator, and Cheryl Koehn, President at Arthritis Consumer Experts share a sneak peek of results from the Survey on Arthritis and Health Inequities. They discuss the importance and necessity of this work, how each and every one of us can be a reliable ally and some of the most striking findings from the Survey.

Subscribe to our JointHealth™ insight newsletter here to receive the full report when it is published. Thank you to everyone who contributed your time and energy for making this possible.

Check out these helpful resources to learn more

• ACE Advocacy: Addressing Health Inequities
• Arthritis Consumer Experts Survey Report on Arthritis and Mental Health
• ACE Survey page – Find summaries of all ACE Surveys here

Friday is the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, to honour the lost Indigenous Children, Survivors, their families and communities of Indian Residential Schools.

In this episode of Arthritis At Home, Ellen Wang, Programs Coordinator, and Cheryl Koehn, President at Arthritis Consumer Experts discuss how members of the arthritis community can get educated, attend events or webinars and support local Indigenous Peoples as part of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Check out these helpful resources to learn more

Webinar - The Papal Apology: Dr. Terri-Lynn Fox's Personal Reflection
Oomah'katoyapiikowaan Ah'tsimihhasii (Pope Apology): kii Apiihkwaikomotaa’kii's isskská’takssin (Miracle Healing Woman's reflection)

Montreal Indigenous Community Network

• Resources
• Indigenous Ally Toolkit
  
  
• National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: Residential School History
• Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada
• White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
• Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action 18 to 24 and the Arthritis Community

In this episode of Arthritis At Home, ACE president Cheryl Koehn, and VP of communications and public affairs, Kelly Lendvoy, discuss the ACE Survey on Arthritis Health Inequities.
 
The ACE Survey asks people living with arthritis to share details of inequities or discrimination they have experienced or witnessed as well as report on the impact of those incidents and how people care for themselves and others in the face of health inequities.
 
 The Survey is open to people living with any form of arthritis and will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your identity will not be known and your responses will remain anonymous. Survey results are stored in a secure, accredited data centre. The Survey deadline is August 23, 2022.

Click here to take the Survey.

In this episode of Arthritis At Home, we are sharing the #CRArthritis interview with Dr. Diane Lacaille, Scientific Director of Arthritis Research Canada. Cheryl Koehn, Founder and President of Arthritis Consumer Experts, has a discussion with Dr. Lacaille about equity and biases in rheumatology care. She explains the difference between explicit and implicit biases and how it can impact how healthcare professionals provide care. In addition, she shares her personal experiences on how to ensure everyone receives equitable care. 

Check out these helpful resources to learn more

• Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action 18 to 24 and the Arthritis Community 
• Arthritis Research Canada 
• University of British Columbia: Mentorship, Equity & Inclusion Resources