Public Law 98–18

Joint Resolution

To provide for the designation of May 1983 as “National Arthritis Month”.

Whereas arthritis is one of our Nation’s leading health problems, striking as many as thirty-five million Americans;

Whereas arthritis is America’s number one crippling disease, disabling over seven million persons including infants, children, and working-age adults as well as the elderly;

Whereas the incidence of arthritis is increasing by one million new victims each year;

Whereas there are more than one hundred distinct disease entities classified as rheumatic, each with a distinct pathogenesis, symptoms, and course of treatment;

Whereas the economic cost of arthritis is a major burden on the Nation, now estimated to be as much as $25,000,000,000 each year;

Whereas it is estimated that, by the year 2000, arthritis will cost the Nation as much as $96,800,000,000 in health care expenditures;

Whereas research on rheumatic diseases is critically underfunded and, as a result, scientists are unable to investigate adequately the myriad causes of and potential cures for, such diseases;

Whereas greater interagency cooperation at all levels of government can greatly improve treatment and services for persons with arthritis;

Whereas scientific understanding of the causes of several forms of arthritis has increased dramatically over the past decade, notwithstanding limited research funding;

Whereas State vocational rehabilitation, aging, and other agencies are not sufficiently staffed or trained to aid and inform persons with arthritis;

Whereas employers need to be made aware of the opportunities for retaining employees with arthritis through programs of medical assistance and rehabilitation;

Whereas the many research, education, information, and patient services of the Arthritis Foundation are not sufficiently well known to the American public;

Whereas the people of the United States, and educational, philanthropic, scientific, medical and health professionals, businesses, governments, and other organizations should be encouraged to provide the necessary attention and resources to combat arthritis in its many forms, and to discover causes and cures, prevent disease and disability, and improve treatment; and

Whereas a healthy nation is a strong nation, and the attention of all Americans should be directed to the need to reduce the ravaging impact of this chronic disabling disease upon our society: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Approved April 5, 1983.