Why did CDC decide to drop questions on chronic joint symptoms and cease surveillance of “possible arthritis”?
The state-based Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) included 2 questions on joint symptoms between the years of 2002 and 2007. “Possible arthritis” is defined as a person without doctor-diagnosed arthritis who answers “yes” to both of the following questions: “During the past 30 days, have you had any symptoms of pain, aching or stiffness in or around a joint?” and “Did your joint symptoms first begin more than 3 months ago?” CDC conducted an expanded data collection in 4 states in 2005 to learn more about people with “possible arthritis.” Results indicate that over 86% of persons with possible arthritis who had seen a doctor did not appear to have arthritis and that the majority of those who had not seen a doctor did not deem their symptoms serious enough for medical intervention. The CDC arthritis program reasons that persons with possible arthritis would not be amenable to public health programmatic interventions for arthritis and that maintaining surveillance of this
