Call to make arthritis a national health priority

The full cost of dealing with arthritis in New Zealand this year has been put at $2.35 billion by economic analysts who say the high price will continue to rise because of increasing obesity.

Arthritis New Zealand commissioned the report on the financial cost of arthritis in New Zealand which its president, Kate Thomson, says highlights the staggering direct and indirect costs of the disease.

The report, prepared by Australian analysts Access Economics, puts the financial cost of arthritis in the health sector at over $560 million, with hospital costs accounting for about one-third of that figure.

However indirect costs were shown in the report to outweigh health costs by more than three to one.

The cost of informal care, the time taken out by those supporting arthritis sufferers, was estimated at $3.6 billion.

Miss Thomson said the problem of arthritis had been underrated and the report showed the great costs of not providing access to timely and appropriate treatment and medicines.

"This lack of recognition of arthritis as a serious health issue in this country has resulted in an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff approach to treatment. Current options tend to focus more on the results and not the cause."

Arthritis could be hereditary but Miss Thomson said joint damage from previous injury and being over-weight could contribute.

"If obesity rates keep rising at the rate they are the occurrence of arthritis will dramatically rise above that predicted."

Miss Thomson said arthritis affected joints, but sometimes also muscles and connective tissues.

"It limits everyday activities such as getting out of bed, dressing, holding a fork, opening a door and even walking."

Surgery accounted for about half the hospital costs, mainly osteoarthritic knee and hip operations, which cost $79.8 million in 2005.

There was a further loss of $18 million as a result of temporary absences from work.

Miss Thomson said because arthritis was a common and costly disease it should be considered a national health priority.

Those with arthritis needed better access to specialist services and appropriate drugs including pain relief, anti-inflammatories and drugs that slow or stop the disease.

Appropriate exercise and weight management programmes, self-management courses and education about arthritis should be more widely available.

Miss Thomson said extended time on waiting lists and a limited range of funded pharmaceuticals led to permanent bone and joint deformities.

Out of joint

* One in six New Zealanders have arthritis.

* By 2020 it is expected that will become one in five.

* Arthritis will put 25,440 New Zealanders out of work this year.

* Lost production is estimated to cost $1 billion.