State Burden
Approximately 955,000 Minnesotans or 25.6% of Minnesota’s adult
population report they have arthritis that has been diagnosed by a
physician according to the 2003 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance
Survey. The prevalence of arthritis increases with age and in Minnesota,
34% of adults ages 45-64 have physician-diagnosed arthritis and 53% of
those over 65 years of age have physician-diagnosed arthritis. Of those
with physician-diagnosed arthritis, 42% have limitations in their daily
activities and 35% report that arthritis affects their ability to work
for pay.
Minnesota Arthritis Coordinating Council
The Minnesota Arthritis Coordinating Council provides a forum for
coordination of activities and development of partnerships to promote
effective arthritis programs and services in Minnesota. Through its
subcommittees, the Council advises and assists in the development and
implementation of partnership projects and monitoring and surveillance
activities of the Minnesota Arthritis Program and council members.
Key Partners
- Arthritis Foundation North Central Chapter
- Elderberry Institute and the Minnesota Block Nurse Programs
- Wisdom Steps
- Minnesota Board on Aging and Aging and Adult Services at the Minnesota
Department of Human Services
- Hennepin County HealthWorks
Intervention and Partnership Highlights
- Our partnership with the Wisdom Steps Program, a health
promotion and health monitoring program for American Indians among
Minnesota's eleven tribes, has enabled us to bring arthritis
programs and education to these communities. We have trained
Arthritis Self-Help Program leaders from the tribes and will be
working with them to increase the availability of the Arthritis
Foundation Exercise Programs in the coming year.
- We are beginning a new partnership with Elderberry Institute and
the Block Nurse Programs in Minnesota to expand the availability of
programs across Minnesota. The Block Nurse Programs work in
communities across the state to support the health and well-being of
community members. We have begun training the block nurses as
Arthritis Self-Help Program leaders and will be expanding efforts to
provide training for the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program in
coming months.
Program Documents
Contact Information
Pamela Van Zyl York, MPH, PHD, RD, LN
Unit Leader, Arthritis and Aging Unit
Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease
Minnesota Department of Health.
85 East Seventh Place
Suite 400
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
Telephone: (651) 281-9831
Fax: (651) 215-8959
E-mail:
pam.york@health.state.mn.us
Back to Program Descriptions
Minnesota
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