OUR MISSION

The federal Centers of Disease Control and Prevention awarded a cooperative agreement to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) for the Wisconsin Arthritis Program. Wisconsin is one of 12 states funded for this purpose.

To address the burden of arthritis, curb expansion of major risk factors, and reduce disabilities from the various types of arthritis, the Wisconsin DHS, Division of Public Health’s Arthritis Program partners with Milwaukee Area Health Education Center and the Arthritis Foundation-Wisconsin Chapter, and with numerous, other community organizations. The Wisconsin Arthritis Program, with its many partners, developed a statewide plan and surveillance report in 2002, and updated it in 2009.

The Arthritis Action Plan focus areas are: data collection, surveillance, and evaluation; promoting increased access to interventions; supporting policies to address arthritis; and working in collaboration with other chronic disease programs. Many stakeholders who focus on increasing awareness of the prevalence of arthritis, and reaching more persons with interventions and programs will use this updated surveillance report.

In addition, this report will assist in Arthritis Action Plan updated revision and tracking progress toward objectives. This Arthritis in Wisconsin - 2009 report outlines the prevalence, risk factors, and other population characteristics of those who have arthritis in Wisconsin. Policy makers, advocates, public health workers, and clinicians may use this information as they face new challenges with the projections of many more persons with arthritis in the near future.