Quality of life must become a priority

Musculoskeletal conditions are the second greatest cause of disability in the world, outlines a report in The Lancet. And they are believed to have the fourth greatest impact on the overall health of the world population, up by 45% in the last 20 years.

Health policy-makers tend to focus on diseases with high mortality rates over those that affect quality of life. Charities such as Arthritis Care say this must change:

“There are 8.5 million people in the UK with osteoarthritis today; 2.2 million of them are of working age and 86% have had their working lives affected,” a spokesperson comments. “These numbers serve to underline the urgent need to prioritise helping people in the UK with arthritis through both services offered and helping people to manage their condition.”