WVU in the News: George Kelley, DA, on the number of inactive patients with arthritis state-by-state
More than 3 million people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) could reduce their anxiety or depression with a basic exercise program, a recent study in ACR Open Rheumatology has concluded. The study shed even more light on the issue when it broke the data down to the state level.
Researchers used the 2010 Census, prior meta-analyses, and recent state-level estimates to calculate for all 50 states and the District of Columbia the number of adults with RMDs whose anxiety or depression could be reduced with exercise.
Across all states and the District of Columbia, an estimated 3,433,167 (95% CI 3,171,000 to 3,703,522) and 2,942,706 (95% CI 2,718,000 to 3,174,438) adults with anxiety or depression, respectively, could improve their condition with exercise, study authors concluded.
George Kelley, DA, a researcher with West Virginia University School of Public Health, served as first author of the recent report. He discussed the study and its findings with MedPage Today.