Bone & Joint Decade 2000-2010

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ABSTRACTS PRESENTED AT BJD MEETING

BONE AND JOINT DISEASE
Solutions for the 21st Century

Held on Saturday 18th October

Aikenhead Conference Centre, St Vincents Hospital, Fitzroy

Presented by AUSTRALIAN RHEUMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION
VICTORIAN BRANCH

In association with THE BONE AND JOINT DECADE

Abstracts

About the Bone & Joint Decade

The Bone and Joint Decade was launched internationally at the World Health Organisation in Geneva in January 2001. The Decade has a number of objectives:

Raise awareness of the growing burden of musculoskeletal disorders on society.
To promote prevention of musculoskeletal disorders and empower patients through eduction campaigns.
To advance research on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.
To improve diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.

The Decade focuses on:

rheumatoid arthritis
osteoarthritis
osteoporosis
back pain
musculoskeletal trauma

These diseases affect hundreds of millions of people around the world. This figure will increase sharply with the predicted doubling of the number of persons older than 50 by the year 2020.

In Australia

Musculoskeletal disorders are the second most common cause of presentation to a general practitioner.
The third leading cause of health system expenditure with an estimated total cost of over $3 billion (1993-94).
Musculoskeletal diseases account for over 300,000 hospital admissions, 15 million medical services and 13 million prescriptions per annum.

Worldwide

Back pain is the second leading cause of sick leave.
25% of health expenditure in developing countries will be spent on trauma related care by the year 2010.
Fractures related to osteoporosis are common with 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 suffering a fracture.

The Australian National Action Network was formed in October 2000 and Peter Brooks was asked to chair this group which has begun working with already existing organisations such as the Arthritis Australia, Osteoporosis Australia, the Australian Rheumatology Association and the Australian Orthopaedic Association to raise the profile of musculoskeletal disease.

Future Plans

The group plans to:

Continue to work closely with associated professional groups such as the Australian Physiotherapy Association, Sports Medicine Australia, biomechanics groups.
Increase the focus on patients and consumers - work closely with the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions Advisory Group.
Encourage use of the BJD logo on all associated stationery.
Develop a marketing strategy for the Bone and Joint Decade linking in with other organisations.
Stimulate a research ethos in musculoskeletal disease - create multidisciplinary musculoskeletal research units (maybe virtual) in universities and hospitals with close links to the community.
Stimulate education in musculoskeletal disease - promote multidisciplinary learning through the development of university curriculum.
Link into the education system - schoolchildren to be taught the importance of looking after their joints, eating appropriately and exercising appropriately.
Promoting patient and consumer education - sensible exercise, good eating etc.
Stimulating government agencies - Federal, State and Local to appreciate the needs of the patient with musculoskeletal disease.
Improving resources for musculoskeletal disease treatment - particularly in the area of prevention and use of the new technologies, i.e. hip and knee replacement.
Work closely with other organisations to influence government policy to improve quality of life in those with rheumatic diseases.
Support Arthritis Australia and Osteoporosis Australia and provide professional lines.

Activities & Events

National and State launches of the Bone and Joint Decade have been held in:

Victoria
New South Wales (a partnerships' dinner)
Queensland (in association with a Bone and Joint Decade Multidisciplinary Research Day)

And are planned for:

Tasmania (in May 2003 in association with the Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine)
Western Australia (in association with a Research Day in September 2003)

The BJD NAN has stimulated other groups to hold Bone and Joint Decade associated workshops at their national meetings -

The Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society
The International Orthopaedic Association/ Australian Orthopaedic Association and the Australian Rheumatology Association meeting in Sydney in 2004.

The NAN organised a Bone and Joint Decade Summit in Canberra in November 2002 to promote multidisciplinary management of arthritis (particularly joint replacements and joint surgery) and osteoporosis (fractures).

The National Action Network steering committee has representatives of:

Australian Rheumatology Association
Australian Orthopaedic Association
Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society
Matrix Biology Society of Australia and New Zealand
Arthritis Australia
Osteoporosis Australia
Rheumatology Health Professionals Association

NAN meets by teleconference at 1 - 2 monthly intervals.

BJD State Committees have been set up in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland and it is hoped that one might be organised in Tasmania and New South Wales shortly.

Click here to visit the Bone & Joint Decade website

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