Compliance improves with peer education.

Compliance improves with peer education

Osteoarthritis affects roughly 16 million Americans annually. The estimated annual costs, including medical treatment, diminished productivity, and absenteeism from the workplace, compound to a staggering $40 billion..sup.1

Studies show that arthritis symptoms can be reduced by as much as 30% through patient education and up to 50% with the appropriate medications..sup.2 That good news, along with the recent release of the first practice guidelines for osteoarthritis by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in Atlanta, makes the disease a natural target for disease management efforts..sup.3 (See "Resources," p. 71, for information on ordering the practice guidelines.)

And who better to teach people how to cope with this painful and disabling disease than the experts: arthritis patients themselves. A peer education program called Patient Partners in Arthritis, sponsored by Searle Pharmaceutical in Skokie, IL, features a series of six, two-hour seminars led by trained patient volunteers. Participants …