State Welfare Policies and Arthritis Pain in the U.S.
A study by The University of Texas at Arlington found a link between state welfare policies and the rise in arthritis-related joint pain in the United States.
According to the research, led by Feinuo Sun, assistant professor of kinesiology at UT Arlington, and published in The Journal of Pain, state policies such as minimum wage laws, Medicaid coverage, and education levels can impact long-term trends in arthritis pain.
The study's findings suggest that where you live and the social policies in place can affect your experience of chronic pain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 58.5 million Americans live with arthritis, with 4.6 million more people reporting moderate to severe joint pain between 2011 and 2021.
Arthritis joint pain has become much more common over the past decade.
The authors examined how different state policies might contribute to the rise in arthritis pain, highlighting the need to consider the impact of social policies on public health.
Author's summary: State welfare policies may exacerbate arthritis pain in the U.S.