20 June 2022
We have launched new research with YouGov to explore the experiences of people of working age in Great Britain who live with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. YouGov carried out an online survey of 2,120 people aged 25 to 65, comparing the results to a similar survey conducted by YouGov in 2018 to see how situations have changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The results were very interesting and gave a good picture of people’s concerns, the impact on their daily lives how they felt they could be helped further by employers and support services. Key findings from the research include:
- Almost nine in ten people (86%) living with arthritis report that at least one self-management technique (eg. exercise, healthy eating) has been useful in managing their condition
- One in two report feeling that they were lacking information or support on long-term recommendations (49%) and advice on how to manage their arthritis (48%) during their arthritis diagnosis.
- Almost half (43%) of respondents said they did not feel very or at all supported by their medical teams during their arthritis diagnosis
- Those in lower socio-economic groups are more likely to rate their physical health as a result of their arthritis as ‘poor’ – 42% compared to 24% of those from higher socio-economic groups
- 84% of people surveyed for our latest YouGov research say that when their arthritis is at its worst, they struggle with at least one everyday activity, such as going up and down the stairs, getting around, and getting out of chairs
- More than four out of five people (81%) with arthritis use at least one self-management technique like exercise or eating healthily to help manage their arthritis and reduce painful symptoms
Read the full report by clicking here, or visiting our Publications page.