Physical Activity and Associated Factors Assessment among Adults with Arthritis in the United States

In the United States, approximately 46 million people have doctor diagnosed arthritis and arthritis is the leading cause of disability. Arthritis is used to describe over 100 rheumatic diseases. The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout and lupus. Physical activity has recently been recommended for individuals with arthritis. Moderate and vigorous physical activity was assessed within this study. The primary goal was to assess the associations between arthritis, physical activity and other variables found to be associated with physical activity participation in the general population. The secondary goal was to assess the association between healthcare provider communication about exercise and participation in physical activity among those with a diagnosis of arthritis. BRFSS (2007) data and SPSS v.16 was utilized for data analysis. Results indicate the odds in favor of participating in moderate physical activity increase when a healthcare provider suggests physical activity for individuals with arthritis. This outcome stresses the significance of healthcare providers communicating the benefits of physical activity to individuals with arthritis and the general public