Disability benefits, policy guidelines and social research

Automatic Re-instatement of Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits

Federal Social Services Minister Ken Dryden announced the implementation of automatic reinstatement of Canada Pension Plan disability benefits CPP(D) for eligible beneficiaries this April. CPP(D) recipients who return to the workforce, earn enough money for their CPP(D) benefits to be stopped, but who within two years of the date that their benefits stopped, find they can no longer continue to work because their disability has recurred, CPP(D) benefits will be re-instated. Read more at: http://www.sdc.gc.ca/en/isp/pub/factsheets/reinstateben.pdf

IAPO publishes Policy Statement and Guidelines on Patient Involvement

On 13 May, IAPO published a Policy Statement and Guidelines for Patient Involvement in Health Policy. The Policy Statement calls for patients' organizations, health professionals, healthcare providers and others to work towards more meaningful patient involvement in healthcare decision-making processes. The Guidelines comprise a simple checklist: a tool for the reassessment, development and improvement of patient involvement initiatives. More...

Research: There’s more than just clinical trials going on in Canada

Research sometimes steps away from the traditional basic science and clinical trials of the laboratory to the much ignored social science of daily living. That seems to be case this year on as far east as New Brunswick and west to British Columbia. University of New Brunswick Psychology Professor Dr. Diane LaChapelle and her students are conducting a number of studies investigating the psychological and social aspects of living with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Allen Lehman, Research Associate at the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada and his colleagues in Vancouver are focusing their attention on rheumatoid arthritis and its affect on the patient and the family. These three studies are highlighted below.

Pain Beliefs, Coping and Adjustment Among Persons with Arthritis & Fibromyalgia (FM)

Dr. LaChapelle is recruiting people of all ages living with arthritis or FM. Volunteers are asked to complete a questionnaire received in the mail and return it in a pre-paid posted envelope.

The focus of the study is to investigate how an individual’s beliefs about pain affects how he or she copes with arthritis on a daily basis and in turn how this affects physical, mental and social well-being.

Preliminary results reveal that negative beliefs about pain (especially those based on misinformation) can greatly reduce an individual’s attempts to cope and contribute to increased physical disability, depression and anxiety. Examples of negative pain beliefs include pain always leads to disability and physical pain indicates physical harm.

These findings tell us that there is a great need for education on pain, especially in the early stages after diagnosis. Dr. LaChapelle’s team expects that there will be a number of additional findings that will lead to strategies to help people with arthritis & FM improve their lives.

This study is ongoing and more volunteers are needed. If you have been diagnosed with arthritis or FM, are over the age of 18, and are interested in participating in this study – please contact Dr. LaChapelle. (see below).

Acceptance of Pain: A Focus Group Study

Past research tells us that when people “accept” that they will be living with some degree of chronic pain they have better physical and mental health. However, researchers have not yet discovered what “acceptance” means to people with arthritis or FM, or what interventions help individuals to accept their condition.

Dr. LaChapelle and her team are conducting focus group discussions with people with arthritis or FM who live in the Fredericton Area. Volunteers meet in small groups to share their feelings on “acceptance” and their experiences of living with arthritis or FM. Researchers have had some very informative and enlightening discussions so far and have learned a great deal about “what it means to live with arthritis & FM on a day-to-day basis”.

If you live in the Fredericton Area and would like to participate in a Pain Focus Group – please contact Dr. LaChapelle and her team: E-mail rprl@unb.ca Telephone 506-447-3237 (leave message and your call will be returned)

Rheumatoid arthritis and the family: An investigation of disease perception

Little is known about how rheumatoid arthritis affects both people with the disease and members of their families. Allen Lehman and his colleagues at the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada are embarking on a research project to find the answers. The project involves, among other things, identifying people with rheumatoid arthritis and their spouse or partner who are interested in participating in the study, and mailing two separate questionnaires to them for completion. The survey will ask questions about how arthritis affects quality of life. The results of the research will lead to improved education programs and care for people affected by arthritis. CAPA members will be notified of the opportunity to participate in late June or early July.