How does Spondyloarthritis Pain Affect Your Quality of Life?

by CSAAdmin | Jan 17, 2023 | Advocacy Resources, Resources, Surveys

The results of our Quality of Life Survey are in!

We asked Spondyloarthritis (Spa) patients from across Canada to share their experiences of how SpA pain affects their lives. Over 850 of you raised your voice to be included in our national survey, and we have compiled your responses into our 2021 Quality of Life Survey Report. Your experiences are helping us learn how we can best support you in your journey with SpA.

Your responses affirm the significant impact Spondyloarthritis has on patients’ quality of life. They also reveal what patients need to live a better life with SpA. Things like a better awareness and understanding of symptoms, an early diagnosis and access to effective treatment options, the essentials of helping Canadians living with SpA and their families.

Our team has combed through the data to develop five recommendations to help patients that we can use in our mission to advocate and support SpA patients. Check out our recommendations below to find resources you can use today to take control and start living a better life with SpA.

What we learned about SpA and Quality of Life

We learned that chronic SpA pain affects a patient’s:

Sleep: 89% of respondents said that Spondyloarthritis impacts their sleep.
Mental Health : 56% of respondents said they lived with anxiety and depression.
Relationships: 37% of respondents said that they do not feel they have a good support network.
Livelihoods: Only 41% of respondents felt their employer would accommodate their illness, and many are afraid to tell their employer about their condition.

Can you live a better life with Spondyloarthritis?

Yes! Although living with SpA can have an impact on your quality of life, patients just like you are taking control and living a full life. It’s not easy, but our goal is to help you have more good days. Every day will not be easy, but we’ve come up with 5 recommendations to help patients like you:

We recommend:

Faster access to diagnosis and treatment can improve symptoms and slow progression. (Access our Journey to Diagnosis to get help faster.)
Fair access to life-changing services and medications for all, not only those with coverage. (Learn how to make medication affordable on our Reimbursement page )
Improved public awareness of the effects of Spondylitis, especially:
- Health Care Workers
- Friends & Family
- Workplace (Click here for our employment resources)
Resources & knowledge to help patients understand their condition, complications and treatment options to take control of their lives. (Watch our webinar on the treatment journey here)

Download the report HERE

What’s Next?

We are committed to boldly sharing the impact of SpA on all patients. Surveys like this help the CSA continue raising awareness and advocating for better care and health outcomes, and developing resources to support the SpA community in Canada.

Become a Member or join our community on Facebook for further updates