California Arthritis Partnership Program

Arthritis, the leading cause of disability in the United States, affects over 5.6 million Californians and more than 46 million Americans.  In California, 22% of adults are affected by arthritis; 3.4 million are women and over 2.2 million are men.  Advances in arthritis prevention demonstrate that early diagnosis and appropriate management of arthritis, including self management and participating in regular, moderate physical activity, can help people with arthritis decrease pain, improve function, and lower health care costs.

The California Arthritis Partnership Program (CAPP) was established in 1999 with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Initially responsible for developing state-based leadership and building capacity to address the burden of arthritis, the scope of the current arthritis program has expanded. Currently, CAPP employs a systems-based approach to expand the reach of arthritis interventions, creates sustainable partnerships to raise awareness about arthritis and increase access to programs, and collaborates with other chronic disease programs to promote systems change and increase early intervention for people with arthritis.