[KUALA LUMPUR, October 13, 2021] – World Arthritis Day is celebrated every year on October 12th and is an important global awareness day established to give voice to people affected by rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). For this occasion, an online survey1 was conducted by ELMA Research for Viatris across Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and China to investigate the emotional, practical and physical impact that COVID-19 restrictions have had on the quality of life of Asian osteoarthritis and joint pain sufferers.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the 10 most disabling diseases in developed countries and its prevalence rises with age and increasing body mass index.2,3 It is anticipated that the prevalence of OA will increase to approximately 350 million people by 2025.4 OA leads to a reduced quality of life, and in patients with a disability, OA is a predictor of premature death and is associated with an increased mortality.5-7 To address the challenges faced with the world’s aging population, the World Health Organization and United Nations have developed an initiative entitled “Decade of Healthy Ageing”.8 This initiative promotes integrated and long-term care, for the management of chronic conditions.8,9
Overall joint pain is considered as a problematic condition. One third of survey respondents including 17% in Malaysia feel that the condition has a significant impact on their quality of life during normal times. What’s more, this feeling worsened during the social restrictive measures implemented during Covid-19, as declared by 43% of people suffering from OA and joint pain. In Malaysia this percentage increases to 45%.
The containment measures that became necessary during the global pandemic had a psychological and physical impact on people suffering from OA and joint pain. Globally, about four in ten people found it harder to cope
with their condition both emotionally and physically. In Malaysia, 40% and 39% of respondents had a hard time managing their condition from an emotional and practical point of view, respectively, due to the added pressures related to the imposed measures, such as social isolation and mobility restrictions.
Mind-body exercises, weight control and a healthy nutrition plan are an integral part in the management of joint pain and OA diseases. Covid-19 restrictions impacted the possibility to play sports and take part in leisure
activities such as going on walks or meeting with other people, which contributed to making daily life harder for patients.
Osteoarthritis can lead to premature death which is why action towards prevention should be highly encouraged. Early diagnosis and early access to treatment, together with a greater awareness of the disease and the ability to promptly recognize the symptoms are crucial.
The difficulties faced by people suffering from OA and joint pain during Covid-19 led to a growing need of support from caregivers. About half of the survey respondents globally relying on a caregiver (55%) declared needing more support in carrying out daily activities during the restrictions. Malaysia is under the global average with a percentage of 54%. However, four in ten struggled to get the help that they needed and one in ten were unable to access any support. In South Korea, 28% of respondents said that they didn’t get any support.
People suffering from joint pain need to be able to consult with their doctors regularly to manage the disease and follow a correct treatment plan. During Covid-19, for most sufferers the quality of these relationships remained the same or even improved. The role of pharmacists also did not change in terms of consultation frequency and proactive treatment recommendation. However, what did change globally were the channels of contact with doctors, with an increasing use of the telephone (51%) and digital channels (43%) as virtual consultations. In Malaysia these percentages reached 55% and 39%, respectively. Only in South Korea face to face remains the predominant channel (60%). When asked to think about the future in the “new normal” after Covid-19, there is an expectation by most (65%) for face-to-face appointments with a secondary role for online and telephone consultations. However, even though Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted, the impact of the pandemic is not over yet and nearly half of the survey respondents including 47% in Malaysia expect it will take another year for life to return to normal.
“Viatris’ mission is to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life – explained Jeff Bote, Country Manager, Viatris Malaysia and Brunei. True to this mission, we are committed to making Osteoarthritis a priority so that it is diagnosed and treated as early as possible, thereby directly impacting patients’ quality of life.”
What is OA
OA is a progressive disease with symptoms that include pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of normal joint function.10 To prevent irreversible joint damage, early diagnosis and treatment of OA is recommended.11 As OA spans decades of a patient’s life, treatment is likely to consist of different pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical interventions, often in combination.10
About Viatris in OA
Viatris is a new kind of healthcare company, empowering people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life. Formed in November 2020, Viatris is committed to helping patients by providing high quality medications with a diverse portfolio that offers treatment options to meet the different needs of patients affected by arthritis.12
References:
- ELMA Research online interview to OA/joint pain sufferers’ sample in Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and China, promoted by Viatris, 2021
- Cunha-Miranda L, Faustino A, Alves C, Vicente V, Barbosa S. Avaliação da magnitude da desvantagem da osteoartrite na vida das pessoas: estudo MOVES [Assessing the magnitude of osteoarthritis disadvantage on people's lives: the MOVES study]. Rev Bras Reumatol. 2015 Jan-Feb;55(1):22-30.
- Cross M, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2014;73:1323-1330.
- Datamonitor Healthcare. Osteoarthritis and osteoarthritis pain. Updated December 2018.
- Nüesch E, et al. All cause and disease specific mortality in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis: population based cohort study. BMJ. 2011;342:d1165. doi: 10.1136/bmj.d1165.
- Hoeven TA, et al. Disability and not osteoarthritis predicts cardiovascular disease: a prospective population-based cohort study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2015;74(4):752-6.
- Cleveland RJ, et al. The impact of painful knee osteoarthritis on mortality: a community-based cohort study with over 24 years of follow-up. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2019;27(4):593-602.
- World Health Organization. Decade of Healthy Ageing: Plan of Action. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/decade-of-healthy-ageing-plan-of-action. Accessed 18 May 2021.
- Decade of healthy ageing. Available at: https://www.decadeofhealthyageing.org/ Accessed 18 May 2021.
- Kolasinski SL, et al. Arthritis Car Res. 2020;72:149-162.
- Runhaar J, et al. Rheumatology. 2020; 00:1-8.
- https://www.viatris.com/en/products/brands
About Viatris
Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS) is a new kind of healthcare company, empowering people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life. We provide access to medicines, advance sustainable operations, develop innovative solutions and leverage our collective expertise to connect more people to more products and services through our one-of-a-kind Global Healthcare Gateway®. Formed in November 2020, Viatris brings together scientific, manufacturing and distribution expertise with proven regulatory, medical and commercial capabilities to deliver high-quality medicines to patients in more than 165 countries and territories. Viatris' portfolio comprises more than 1,400 approved molecules across a wide range of therapeutic areas, spanning both non-communicable and infectious diseases, including globally recognized brands, complex generic and branded medicines, a growing portfolio of
biosimilars and a variety of over-the-counter consumer products. With a global workforce of more than 40,000, Viatris is headquartered in the U.S., with global centers in Pittsburgh, Shanghai and Hyderabad, India. Learn more at viatris.com and investor.viatris.com, and connect with us on Twitter at @ViatrisInc, LinkedIn and YouTube
