The Geography of Joint Pain

We know the top three rules of real estate: location, location, and location. But could location play a role in the risk assessment and management of chronic joint pain from arthritis? A researcher at the University at Buffalo found that the risk of joint pain is more than three times higher in some U.S. states compared to others. Adults in southern states and the lower Mississippi Valley and southern Appalachia, are particularly hard-hit. With 59 million people in the U.S. living with arthritis, 15 million of whom experience severe joint pain, the study could help shape interventions. Additionally, the study revealed that residents in states with stronger support for food inequity had a lower prevalence of pain, suggesting that public health policy could help alleviate this widespread problem.

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