The document discusses how autoimmune diseases are under-served compared to other conditions like cancer and heart disease. It notes that autoimmune diseases affect a similar portion of the population as those other conditions but receive less funding and attention. Specifically, it states that it takes on average 3.6 years to diagnose an autoimmune disease, patients see an average of 5 doctors, and autoimmune research receives less than 6% of NIH funding compared to 24% for heart disease and 37% for cancer. It also discusses how conditions like rheumatoid arthritis reduce quality of life more than diseases like breast cancer but receive less research funding.

1. © 2014 - All rights reserved.
Why Is Autoimmune Disease
Under-Served?
Your Autoimmunity Connection
@DrBonnie360

2. © 2014 - All rights reserved.
Under-Recognized:
Autoimmune diseases affect as many people as CVD + Cancer
16%
10%
6%
68%
US Patient Population
Percent US Population Living With
AutoImmune Disease
Percent US Population Living With
Cardiovascular Disease
Percent US Population Living With Cancer
http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/autoimmune-statistics/
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus13.pdf#042

3. © 2014 - All rights reserved.
Under-Diagnosed:
It takes an average of 3.6 years to get an autoimmune diagnosis
Survey Issues 1996 2001 2006 2013 2014*
Years to Diagnosis 5 4 4 4 3.5
# Physicians Seen 6 4 4 4 5
Labeled Chronic
Complainer
64% 45% 45% 51% -
*http://www.aarda.org/news-briefing-for-autoimmune-disease-
awareness-month-2014/

4. © 2014 - All rights reserved.
Under-Researched:
Autoimmune research receives <6% of NIH grants
6%
24%
37%
33%
2014 NIH Grant Allocations
Total Autoimmune Spending
Total Cardiovascular Disease
Spending
Total Cancer Spending
Other
http://report.nih.gov/categorical_spending.aspx

5. © 2014 - All rights reserved.
Under-Appreciated:
Lower Quality of Life for many years
Disease
Condition
Unhealthy Days
in the Last Month
Normal
Population
Unhealthy Days
Percent Lower
Quality of Life
2014 NIH
Funding USD
Rheumatoid
Arthritis
11.2 6 86.66% 239 Million*
Breast Cancer 8.5 6.1 39.34% 682 Million
*Actual funding lower, 239 Million includes all Arthritis research not just RA
http://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/key_findings.htm
Currey SS, Rao JK, Winfield JB, Callahan LF. Performance of a generic health-related quality of life measure in a
clinic population with rheumatic disease. Arthritis Rheum. 2003 Oct 15;49(5):658-64. PubMed PMID: 14558051.

6. © 2014 - All rights reserved.
Citations
• http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/autoimmune-statistics/
• http://www.aarda.org/news-briefing-for-autoimmune-disease-awareness-month-2014/
• http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus13.pdf#042
• http://www.diabetesed.net/page/_files/autoimmune-diseases.pdf
• http://report.nih.gov/categorical_spending.aspx
• Sex Differences in Autoimmune Disease, Fairweather Et. Al.
• Currey SS, Rao JK, Winfield JB, Callahan LF. Performance of a generic health-related quality of life
measure in a clinic population with rheumatic disease. Arthritis Rheum. 2003 Oct 15;49(5):658-64.
PubMed PMID: 14558051.
• http://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/key_findings.html

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Bonnie Feldman, DDS, MBA
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