Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month
As part of its Simple Tasks campaign, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) launched Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM) in September 2016 to raise awareness about the 100+ conditions under the umbrella of rheumatic disease such as Sjögren’s Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and gout. During this time, the ACR focused on increasing public understanding of the symptoms, risk factors, treatment options, personal and economic impact, lifestyle, and healthcare challenges associated with rheumatic diseases. The Simple Tasks team has accomplished this through a variety of methods, including public service announcements, patient testimonials, and collateral pieces.
Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month 2022
Rheumatic Disease Report Card: Raising the Grade on Rheumatology Care in America 2022
The ACR released an update of its 2018 Rheumatic Disease Report Card. The report card grade states on how well they are doing addressing the access, affordability, and lifestyle issues affecting rheumatology patients in their state. Download the report card to see how well your state did and learn what can be done to improve their grade.
View Rheumatic Disease Report Card
Rheum4You: Reproductive Health & Rheumatic Disease
In recognition of the RDAM 2021, the ACR hosted “Rheum4You: Reproductive Health & Rheumatic Disease,” a patient-focused webinar on reproductive health and rheumatic disease. A panel of reproductive and parenting experts led an interactive discussion on family planning and pregnancy to early parenting.
Topics included:
- Family planning with rheumatic disease, including fertility, contraception, male reproductive health, treatment considerations for men and women, and medication compatibility
- Pregnancy and rheumatic disease, including the impact of pregnancy on rheumatic disease, the role of the rheumatology provider in your care during pregnancy, genetic factors, and medication compatibility
- Parenting with rheumatic disease, including tips for managing the treatment of a child with rheumatic disease, parenting while managing a chronic disease, breastfeeding, compatible medications, and occupational and physical therapy tips for caring for your child
View the webinar and presentation slides and explore additional resources on reproductive health and rheumatic disease.
“My disease may be invisible, but I’m not.”
“My disease may be invisible, but I’m not” featured stories of real patients who are living with a rheumatic disease. They shared their stories of being diagnosed, their treatment, and the negative perceptions of living with an invisible disease. The goal of the campaign was to encourage others to raise their voices and tell their stories to bring awareness and advocate for change.
View the patient testimonials campaign.