Arthritis causes pain, stiffness, and in some cases swelling in or around the joints.
In addition,arthritis is the leading cause of disability, limiting daily activities for more than 7 million citizens. The mission of Arthritis Surveillance is to describe populations most affected by arthritis and related conditions in Georgia and to develop programs to better treat and prevent the disease. The NAAP was developed by the CDC and the National Office of the Arthritis Foundation in 1998. Georgia is currently focusing on the surveillance and epidemiological component of this plan. For the first time ever, Georgia has specific prevalence estimates of arthritis and related conditions.