AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF ARTHRITIS IN THE POPULATION OF NORTH GUJARAT, INDIA

Purpose: A study was conducted for Arthritis, mainly focused on Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), to check the prevalence, awareness, severity, probable causes, drug utilization and evaluate efficiency of different therapies in population of North Gujarat. Methodology: Detailed questionnaires were designed to collect data randomly from 260 patients of rural and urban area of Palanpur and Mehsana districts. Results: Prevalence of OA was found to be 3.11% where as that of RA was 0.06%. Furthermore, the prevalence ratio (male: female) for OA was 1: 1.19, where that of for RA was 1:4. Prevalence of OA and RA is significantly higher in urban area than in rural area. Suffering for most arthritic patients is more than five years indicating its chronic nature. The usage of Allopathic medicine for the treatment for OA and RA is highest as compared to other therapies. Family history for OA and RA patients was found 20% and 28.57% respectively indicating hereditary factor for diseases. More numbers of parts affected in RA patients than that of OA suggesting severity and systemic effect of RA. Hence awareness of RA patients for pharmacological as well as non pharmacological treatment, knee replacement like surgery is higher than OA patients. Most of OA patients are just taking pain killer drugs (NSAIDs) irregularly without taking any therapy. Though RA is autoimmune disease patients did not prescribed newer DMARDs and monoclonal antibodies indicating cost factor and lack of awareness. Very few arthritic patients were undergone for the diagnostic tests like RA test but after diagnosis of RA, the patients were found more conscious for the regular checkup and treatment. Conclusion: So it is reasonable to conclude that OA and RA both are most common inflammatory and chronic arthritis, which are responsible for high morbidity in the patients. So proper awareness, patient counseling and proper drug therapy are necessary for the better treatment of OA and RA.