Research

Arthritis consumers were integral to the success of the Canadian Arthritis Network’s Annual Scientific Conference - Moving Forward Together - held in Toronto in October 2008.

That is the question the University of Sydney in conjunction with the Norwegian Knowledge Centre for Health Services is trying to answer. A clinical trial is currently underway to investigate the value of stretching before and after exercise and CAPA members are involved.

Research presentations at the Segal North American Osteoarthritis Workshop included a new tool for measureing pain and the link between biology and psychology in reducing pain.

Thirteen thousand people including two arthritis consumer advocates from Canada attended the 9th annual Congress for the European League Against Arthritis (EULAR) held in Paris this June. What were the questions they were asked most often by their international colleagues?

Obtaining a good education - an important goal for most Canadians - is hard enough to attain without dealing with a chronic illness. With the objective of making education an achievable goal for students living with Crohn's Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis, UCB Pharma Canada is committed to offering the UCBeyond Scholarship Program again in 2008.

Workshops tailored especially for consumers await those attending the 6th Annual Cochrane Symposium in Edmonton in March next year. Attendees can expect to gain an understanding of the importance of evidence-based health care, training in providing feedback to Cochrane reviews, and a hands-on opportunity to review and comment on a Cochrane protocol.

It was the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Canadian Arthritis Network held in Halifax this past October where consumers, researchers and industry came together to discuss new arthritis breakthroughs.

Is the approach to childhood arthritis and rheumatology research different within CARRA? Who are the pediatric rheumatologists involved in CARRA, where do they work and what are their goals?

Savvy people with arthritis are reading Cochrane research summaries. Many become involved in reviewing summaries before they are published to ensure that they are relevant to people with musculoskeletal disease. Are you savvy? Do you want to participate?

Studies find that involving consumers to develop patient information improves its clarity and relevance.