Arthritis in Canada: what do we know and what should we know?

Doctors' visits for inflammatory arthritis reportedly represent only 6% of the overall visit rates for all arthritis and related conditions (163 per 1000), with about 40% of these patients seeing a specialist. Data from provincial drug plan databases show that although the proportion of the population aged 65 years and older with prescriptions for disease modifying antirheumatic drugs increased to 1% in 2000, this is only half the expected prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in this age group. There are large provincial variations. Despite data on the efficacy and importance of treatment of early inflammatory arthritis, research is lacking on: the experience of arthritis, decision-making about seeking medical care, and factors affecting access to, and payment for, treatment, including drugs and rehabilitation; primary care decision-making about referral and treatment; organizational aspects of specialist care and access to drugs; and new ways of delivering services to reach patients in underserviced or remote areas. Monitoring the population impact of arthritis, including economic costs, is a priority for research, as are epidemiological studies on risk factors.