Awareness about arthritis, osteoporosis dismal in Delhi:Survey

New Delhi, Aug 16 (UNI) Even though arthritis and osteoporosis remain quite common ailments in India, a recent survey conducted by the Arthritis Foundation of India Trusts (AFI) showed that only 40 per cent men and 32 percent women are aware that both maladies are different.

"While arthritis affects the joints, osteoporosis makes the bones fragile and more prone to fracture. It was quite shocking to note that more than 90 per cent of the sample size considered arthritis as a disease of old age," said Dr Sushil Sharma, Chairman, of the Foundation.

Barely 10.4 percent of men eleven percent of women knew there were different types of arthrities, he said.

When asked if they know that a majority of fractures are basically complications of osteoporosis, only 12 per cent of men above age 40 and 14 per cent women in that age-group were aware of it.

He expressed hope the survey serves as a wake-up call for the policy-makers. ''It exposes extremely low awareness. The Government must take measures to spread awareness about these health hazards so as to reduce risk of fractures, arthritis and deformities can be reduced," he said.

The survey was conducted in Delhi in April, May and June this year.

UNI