Ethnic differences in RA suffers in USA

In the USA, rheumatoid arthritis prevalence is lower among Asians and higher among American Indians, compared with the prevalence among Blacks and Whites, according to research and advisory firm Decision Resources. The new analytics tool entitled PatientFinder: Rheumatoid Arthritis also reveals that RA prevalence in the USA varies by how urban or rural the population is.

"By applying these risk factors against US population demographics one might think that a state like Alaska, whose Native Alaskans have higher rates of rheumatoid arthritis prevalence, might have a higher than average percentage of patients," states Amanda Wilson, epidemiologist at Decision Resources. "However, Alaska's rural population is much larger than its native Alaskan population, which actually drives overall prevalence of the disease in this state below the national average," she adds.

In contrast, the new tool reveals that the Eastern Seaboard has seven of the eight regions with the highest RA prevalence in the USA - Washington DC. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts - due to high rates of urbanization and low Asian populations.