Grant: Project Grant

It is estimated that approximately 20-30% of the global population lives with a painful musculoskeletal condition. Research has shown that arthritis is more common in certain populations and settings. For example, women get rheumatoid arthritis more often than men and osteoarthritis is more common in older adults and those with manual labour jobs. First Nations adults living off reserve and Métis adults have a higher chance of suffering from arthritis compared to non-Indigenous adults. To date, the extent to which population characteristics have been considered in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions has not been assessed. Our objective is to identify and prioritize effective interventions for treating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis that could reduce health inequities. Health inequities are unfair and avoidable differences in health outcomes. This will be done by assessing population differences of interventions to manage the symptoms and improve the quality of life of potentially disadvantaged populations. We will make this information easily accessible online as plain language summaries.