Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common form of persistent arthritis in children. (Juvenile in this context refers to an onset before age 16, idiopathic refers to a condition with no defined cause, and arthritis is the inflammation of a joint.) JIA occurs in both sexes, but, like other rheumatological diseases, is more common in females. The prognosis of JIA depends on prompt recognition and treatment. Research has indicated JIA as an autoimmune disorder and that heredity and environment seem to play a role. Scientists suspect that it is a two-step process. First, something in a child’s genetic makeup gives him or her a tendency to develop JIA; then an environmental factor, such as a virus, triggers the development of the disease. Medicines and physical therapy can help maintain movement and reduce swelling and pain.

A recent study sought to determine whether juvenile idiopathic arthritis impacts psychosocial health in young adults. The study included 55 patients with JIA who answered self-administered questionnaires about their physical and psychosocial health. The average years after symptom onset was 18.3 years among the participants. The results of the study found that although physical health was significantly impaired, no difference in psychosocial health was found when the researchers compared the patients with JIA to the general population. The questionnaires revealed that the level of education was significantly higher in the young adults with JIA, but no difference was seen in employment status when compared to the general population. These results suggest that the physical disability associated with JIA does not appear to negatively impact psychosocial health in young adults.¹

¹ Ostile I, Johansson I, Aasland A, et al. Self-rated physical and psychosocial health in a cohort of young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Scand J Rheumatol. 2010.