Black and Hispanic adults with arthritis are more likely than whites to become disabled from the joint disease, new research findings suggest.
In a study that followed nearly 7,300 Americans with arthritis for six years, researchers found that African-American patients were twice as likely to develop a disability as their white counterparts. The same was true of Hispanic adults who spoke Spanish as their primary language, but not primarily English-speaking Hispanic patients.
A range of factors -- from poorer overall health to lack of insurance to less-healthy lifestyles -- together explained the racial disparity, the study found.
SOURCE: Arthritis & Rheumatism, August 2007.
| Tags: Arthritis, Back Pain, Public Health and Safety |
Labels: Arthritis, Back Pain, Public Health
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