Swollen, stiff joints that make everyday activities painful are hallmarks of arthritis. Pain so debilitating that it limits work and other activities is especially common for blacks and Hispanics, even though they have less prevalence of the disease, new research from the CDC finds.
Blacks and Hispanics were twice as likely as other ethnic groups to report severe joint pain and work limitations, according to the study appearing in the latest issue of Preventing Chronic Disease, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Arthritis is the most common cause for disability in the United States, affecting one in five people, according to CDC statistics. While the prevalence for whites is about 24 percent, it's 19 percent among blacks and about 11 percent among Hispanics.
As with many racial health disparities, researchers don't know the reason for the difference. But they suggest it likely has to do with language barriers, problems with access to health care for minorities and minorities' increased risk factors for arthritis such as obesity or even working more demanding jobs. The findings point to the need for more culturally-sensitive care and more research to better tackle the problem, the authors said.