'Don't Delay, Connect Today!' initiative to encourage early diagnosis of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
Press release from EULAR, Madrid, Spain, 14 June 2017:
"Don’t Delay, Connect Today!" is a EULAR campaign that, for the first time, engages all three EULAR pillars – patient organisations (PARE), health professional associations and scientific communities. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis in preventing further damage for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) and encourage timely access to evidence-based treatment. RMDs often receive delayed or no diagnosis.
This call to action is supported by research, including in those with rheumatoid arthritis where the initiation of treatment 12 weeks after the onset of symptoms, can minimise the level of joint impact over time and increase the chance of remission.1
In the European Union alone, an extra one million employees could be at work each day if early interventions were more widely accessible for people with RMDs.2 Despite this, awareness of the importance of early diagnosis is limited amongst the general public, people with RMDs and many doctors/health professionals (HPRs). For example, fibromyalgia remains undiagnosed in as many as 3 out of 4 people with the condition, and diagnosis time averages 5 years.3
EULAR hopes to encourage people to connect with their doctor when possible RMD symptoms appear, such as persistent joint and muscle pain, extreme fatigue and stiffness. ‘Don’t Delay, Connect Today!’ also aims to help doctors and HPRs identify and treat diseases as early and accurately as possible.
Commenting on the campaign launch, EULAR President, Professor Gerd R. Burmester, noted: “By uniting everyone connected to the RMD community through ‘Don’t Delay, Connect Today!’, we can work together to create significant positive change for people with RMDs. We encourage all three EULAR pillars and the general public to get involved in this campaign using the various educational materials, social media and digital initiatives and live events hosted by our networks. We want to ensure EULAR continues to place early diagnosis, access to treatment and the needs of RMD patients at the heart of everything we do.”
Following the global launch of ‘Don’t Delay, Connect Today!’ at the EULAR Congress, EULAR will support local launches of campaign activity across Europe, led by its PARE patient organisation network.
To learn more about the campaign and find out how to get involved with a local PARE patient organisation, visit the World Arthritis Day website (www.worldarthritisday.org) or search #ConnectToday.
1 Van der Linden M.P.M., le Cessie S., Raza K., et al. Long-Term Impact of Delay in Assessment of Patients with Early Arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism 62 (2010) 3537-3546
2 Working with arthritis. Arthritis Research UK. Available at: http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/policy-and-public-affairs/reports-and-resources/reports/work-report.aspx
3 Arnold, L.M., Clauw, D.J. et al., Improving the Recognition and Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. (2011) 86(5): 457-464
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