Lifestyle Management Programs for Arthritis
Recognized and Promising Programs
The CDC Arthritis Program promotes recognized, evidence-based programs that are proven to improve the quality of life of adults with arthritis and helps make them available in communities across the country. Recognized programs are those that have shown improvements in arthritis symptoms, such as pain or limitations in function, and that have some level of support for program oversight and organized, wide-scale delivery. Promising programs are programs with promising evaluation data and which are building the infrastructure to support program delivery across the country. Over time, promising programs may be elevated to a recognized status.
Learn about the recognized or promising programs.
Community-based programs that teach participants to safely increase their physical activity to manage arthritis or other chronic conditions.
Interactive workshops in the community that teach participants skills for managing arthritis or other chronic conditions.
These descriptions of CDC’s recommended and promising lifestyle management programs can help you decide which pprogram is the best fit for you or your target population.
CDC's Arthritis Program uses specific criteria to screen intervention programs for arthritis-appropriateness, adequate evidence base, and infrastructure necessary for widespread dissemination as a public health intervention.
The programs on our watch list are currently undergoing evaluation to determine their effects on the health of people with arthritis. CDC’s Arthritis Program periodically screens these programs for their potential as recognized or promising programs.
Marketing Tools to Promote Lifestyle Management Programs
CDC and our partners created tools that can be used to promote physical activity and self-management education intervention programs to potential program participants or referrers. Tools currently available include
- The 1-2-3 Approach to Provider Outreach
- Spread the Word: Marketing Self-Management Education Through Ambassador Outreach
- Self-Management Education Issue Briefs
- ASMP/CDSMP Meta-Analysis Executive Summary
- Compendium of Arthritis- Appropriate Interventions