SAA is excited to announce the launch of its new Rheum to Diagnosis campaign (Rheum2Dx), a multi-phased project designed to address the delay in accurate and expedient diagnosis of non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the rheumatology setting. The Rheum2Dx campaign is a joint initiative between the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) and its Corporate Partner, UCB. As a large-scale educational program, the goal of Rheum2Dx is to help the public understand nr-axSpA and AS rheumatic diseases within the SpA family, ongoing challenges with delays to diagnosis as a critical health issue and increasing referrals rates for both patients and physicians to appropriate educational and support resources.
The Rheum2Dx campaign consists of two phases. The initial phase entailed conducting both a qualitative study and an online quantitative survey, which provided insights into the real-world barriers to an accurate and expedient diagnosis of nr-axSpA. The second phase centers upon addressing the key issues identified in phase 1, i.e., factors that contribute to a delay in diagnosis of nr-axSpA.Phase one was important because even though the delayed diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is well documented; little was known about the diagnostic journey and the impediments for US people with non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA).
The second phase of the Rheum2Dx campaign incorporates several activities and programs geared to attack the problems faced by patients, including disease awareness, education, and access to resources and support for both rheumatologists and patients.
For patients, the Rheum2Dx campaign delivered a new section of the website specifically on nr-axSpA, a new nr-axSpA animated awareness video, as well as a new brochure, “Talking to Your Doctor about SpA: How to Get the Most Out of Your Rheumatology Visit,” to help patients communicate more effectively with their physicians.
For rheumatologists, educational multimedia content has been created specifically geared to two groups – rheumatology fellows and medical students. For Rheumatology Fellows, three presentations are available, including Epidemiology and Clinical Features of AxSpA, Spondyloarthritis Mimics, and a Clinician’s Guide to MRI in AxSpA. For medical students, three presentations are available, including Introduction to AxSpA, History Taking and Physical Examination (for AxSpA), and How to Diagnose AxSpA.
The Rheum2Dx campaign will help raise awareness and understanding about nr-axSpA and AS to promote timely and accurate diagnosis with an effective treatment plan. Through this initiative, we hope to capture the public’s attention, raise general awareness, and reach both diagnosed and undiagnosed patients with nr-axSpA and AS, as well as rheumatologists, to provide them with the resources and support they need.
We encourage all spondyloarthritis patients to take advantage of the resources provided through the Rheum2Dx campaign, including the new awareness video and brochure. We also urge physicians to take advantage of the educational content designed specifically for them, which will help improve their ability to diagnose and treat patients with nr-axSpA and AS. We hope that through the Rheum2Dx campaign, we can continue to raise awareness and improve the lives of those living with spondyloarthritis.
Input your search keywords and press Enter.
