Health Care Service Corporation And Northwestern University
Announce Collaboration To Combat Osteoarthritis
CHICAGO, Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Care Service
Corporation (HCSC), the nation's largest customer-owned health
insurer, and Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine announce a collaborative research
initiative called Joint ADventure, focused on improving symptoms
and quality of life for those with signs of knee osteoarthritis
(OA). Funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health,
Joint ADventure aims to prevent work absenteeism, work disability
and increased healthcare costs associated with knee OA through a
workplace intervention pilot program with HCSC employees.
The obesity epidemic in this country has led to growing numbers
of adults with knee osteoarthritis. Nearly 50 percent of all adults
and two-thirds of obese adults are expected to develop symptomatic
knee OA at some point in their lives. Knee OA is already a major
cause of arthritis-related disability, resulting from difficulty
doing major activities such as walking, climbing stairs, kneeling
or stooping. Because obesity and knee injury (both risk factors for
the development of knee OA) are increasing in the US, the lifetime
risks and the absolute number of persons with knee OA and
consequent disability are projected to rise dramatically.
Joint ADventure, a two-year research initiative designed
specifically for adults with chronic knee symptoms, will develop,
implement and test a program to address knee symptoms and improve
the quality of life for participants with or at risk for developing
OA. Approximately 90 HCSC employees will voluntarily participate in
a twelve-month intensive physical activity and nutrition
intervention which includes weight loss goals, fostered by better
nutrition and physical activity benchmarks. The program also
includes a lifestyle intervention led by a nurse clinical
specialist, fitness expert, dietitian, and an occupational
therapist from Northwestern University,
which will provide motivational coaching and cohort sessions
focused on adopting healthy eating and exercise routines. The
participant selection process for the program is currently
underway. The intention is to replicate the program's successes
with HCSC members and employer groups.
"Our partnership with HCSC is a great example of how the public
and private sector can join to work together to find an effective,
replicable and sustainable intervention strategy for those with -
or at risk for - knee OA to attain and maintain healthy behaviors,"
said chief investigator Dr. Rowland
Chang, M.D., professor of preventive medicine and director
of the Institute for Public Health and Medicine at Northwestern's Feinberg
School. "Knee OA is a major cause of work disability and
absenteeism. Our hope is that the results of this study will
provide a blueprint that will lead to fundamental changes in the
way lifestyle interventions are delivered to large employed
populations."
Results will be measured based on the evaluation of participant
positive lifestyle behavior modifications including physical
activity, dietary behavior measures and the assessment of OA pain
and self-reported health related quality of life improvements.
"HCSC is committed to working with organizations that will help
us to identify solutions for major health issues that afflict our
members," said Dr. Paul Handel,
chief medical officer, HCSC. "Our partnership with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
will provide invaluable insight and, eventually, new ways for our
members to manage their health who are at risk of developing
OA."
This research initiative is supported by the National Institute
of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, grant number
R21 AR062317.
About Health Care Service Corporation
Health Care
Service Corporation is the country's largest customer-owned health
insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall, with more than
13 million members in its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in
Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. A Mutual Legal Reserve Company, HCSC is
an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Association. For more information, please visit www.HCSC.com, visit
our Facebook page or follow us at www.twitter.com/HCSC.
About Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of
Medicine, founded in 1859, attracts talented individuals to its
faculty, staff, and student body through its cutting-edge research
initiatives, superb clinical facilities, global outlook, and
innovative curriculum. Consistently ranked high on the list of best
research medical schools, Feinberg is part of the vibrant
educational and cultural community of Northwestern University, an independent private
institution founded in 1851, and is a central component of a
premier academic medical center, Northwestern Medicine. Located on
the Northwestern campus in the heart of
Chicago's Magnificent Mile,
Feinberg has built a national reputation for excellence through a
strong history of collaborative, interdisciplinary medical
education and research. Feinberg's top-rated clinical affiliates
include Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, the Rehabilitation
Institute of Chicago, Ann &
Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center,
the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation, as well as numerous
hospitals and clinics across the region. To learn more,
visit www.feinberg.northwestern.edu.
SOURCE Health Care Service Corporation