WHEREAS, Arthritis includes more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues that surround joints, and other connective tissue; and

WHEREAS, Arthritis causes pain and loss of movement, and can limit everyday activities such as walking and dressing; and

WHEREAS, Arthritis affects an estimated 50 million adults living with some form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia, representing approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 294,000 children under 18 years of age have some form of arthritis or rheumatic condition, representing approximately 1 in every 250 children in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Arthritis is a chronic health problem and the nation’s leading cause of physical disability among Americans over 15 years of age; and

WHEREAS, Arthritis costs the United States economy more than $128 billion each year in lost wages and health care costs; and

WHEREAS, Arthritis results in 992,100 hospitalizations and 44 million outpatient visits each year; and

WHEREAS, In California there are 5.1 million people living with arthritis, including 38,000 children; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 67 million adults 18 years of age and older, representing 25 percent of the population of the United States, will have doctor-diagnosed arthritis by the year 2030; now, therefore, be it