Resource links
USA: Arthritis Foundation
Everything to do with arthritis seems to be covered on this comprehensive site from the American not-for-profit organisation:
UK: Versus Arthritis
The UK charity and voluntary organisation that provides information and support for people with all types of arthritis:
NZ: Arthritis New Zealand
Did you know that more than half a million New Zealanders will have arthritis in their lifetime?
Canada: Arthritis Society
The Arthritis Society is Canada’s only not-for-profit organisation devoted solely to funding and promoting arthritis research, programs and patient care:
State and territory government services
Use this portal to find out about assistance that could be offered by state and territory departments of eg: ageing, disability, education, health, and transport. Call you local arthritis office on 1800 011 041.
The Shed online
The Shed Online is a place for men to socialise, network, make friends and share skills. It aims to recreate the atmosphere of “real life” Men Sheds – a safe space where men can feel confident to discuss and exchange information. The Shed Online aims to foster a sense of community and build men’s social networks. The Shed Online offers a range of project ideas, gardening tips, cooking demos, movie reviews, health information, news and events.
SANE Australia
SANE Australia is an independent national charity helping people affected by mental illness through campaigning, education and research. It operates a free helpline; call 1800 18 SANE.
Occupational Therapists Australia
The goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. This site also features a find-an-OT service:
MyDr
myDr.com.au is a comprehensive Australian consumer health site with free information for patients, covering a wide variety of diseases and conditions including arthritis, tests and treatments, health and fitness issues and medicines.
Medicare
Comprehensive guide to what federally-funded health services are available under the Medicare scheme:
Medical Media Group Pty Ltd
Medical Media is Australia’s first ambient information channel designed exclusively for health professionals:
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
The NDIS provides funding to eligible people with disability to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an improved quality of life. The NDIS also connects anyone with disability to services in their community.
Livewire
Livewire, a subsidiary of the Children’s Starlight Foundation, has created an online community for families affected by a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability. Focusing on the estimated 450,000 children and young people aged over 10 and under 21 years, Livewire now has over 6,000 members including parents and the siblings of the affected members.
Kids Help Line
Kids Help Line is a free and confidential, telephone counselling service for 5 to 25 year olds:
Independent Living Centres Australia
Information about products and services to help people remain independent and improve their quality of life.
Health Matters: ABC radio and TV
Health Matters is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s online gateway to health. Here you’ll find original material about issues and conditions, as well as health news and transcripts from ABC Radio, ABC TV, and other areas of ABC Online:
Healthdirect Australia
Healthdirect Australia was established by the Council of Australian Governments with the purpose of providing all Australians with access to trusted professional health information without time or geographic restrictions.
No matter where people live, what time of the day or night, you can access trusted advice on the most appropriate care for their health issue.
The services available through Healthdirect Australia are:
- healthdirect: call 1800 022 222 or visit their website www.healthdirect.gov.au
- after hours GP helpline: call 1800 022 222
- Pregnancy, Birth and Baby: call 1800 882 436 or visit their website
- National Health Services Directory
- My Aged Care: call 1800 200 422 or visit their website
HealthiNation
Arthritis and related videos.
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Insights: Knee Osteoarthritis
- Gout
- Osteoarthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- True Champions RA (Documentary Series)
- True Life Story: Rheumatoid Arthritis (Documentary Series)
Healthy Bones Australia
Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become fragile and brittle, leading to a higher risk of fractures – breaks or cracks – than normal bone.
www.healthybonesaustralia.org.au
Findapharmacy
One of the most recent tools developed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia is – Find a Pharmacy.
This enables anyone with access to the internet to locate their closest pharmacy. The basic search tool can be used to enter your address, suburb and state. Find a pharmacy will locate your nearest pharmacy, giving you directions using Google maps.
It also allows you to search by opening hours, services provided and languages spoken. For these options, you will need to use the advanced search option.
Europe: paediatric rheumatology
This is the home of PRINTO, the Paediatric Rheumatology European Society:
Dietitians Association of Australian (DAA)
The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) is the peak body of dietetic and nutrition professionals providing strategic leadership in food and nutrition through empowerment, advocacy, education, accreditation and communication.
Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) have the qualifications and skills to provide expert nutrition and dietary advice. APDs are university-qualified professionals that undertake ongoing training and education programs to ensure that they are your most up-to-date and credible source of nutrition information, in line with DAA Professional Standards.
Consumer Health Forum
The Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) is the national peak body representing the interests of Australian healthcare consumers. CHF works to achieve safe, quality, timely healthcare for all Australians, supported by accessible health information and systems.
Centrelink
Find out about Commonwealth benefits to which you may be entitled:
Carers Australia
Information and advocacy for people who provide support to children or adults who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or who are frail aged:
Beyondblue
beyondblue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related substance misuse disorders in Australia.
Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD)
ARAD is a national Australian database which collects important health information from individuals with inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
The aim of ARAD is to determine the effectiveness and safety of the new biological drugs used to treat inflammatory arthritis.
Medicine Information Sheets
The development of the Medicine Information Sheets has been a collaborative effort between many members of the ARA in consultation with Arthritis Australia and Communicating for Health, Victoria. They have recently been extensively revised using feedback from patients focus groups and new information.
Australian Rheumatology Association
Here’s where you’ll find an arthritis medical specialist:
Australian Patient Advocacy Alliance
The Australian Patient Advocacy Alliance is a collective of national health organisation, working together to represent more than 12 million Australians living with complex and chronis disease.
Australian Physiotherapy Association
Read how physiotherapy can help people with arthritis. This site will help you find a physio:
The Choose Physio website provides users with high quality, consumer friendly information about physiotherapy and the conditions that physiotherapists treat, including incontinence, headaches, back pain and stroke recovery, amongst many others. It also includes a simple Find A Physio function for consumers to quickly find a physio convenient to their location.
Australian Orthopaedic Association
Orthopeadics – including joint replacement – explained by surgeons:
Australian Clinical Practice Guidelines Portal
Has been developed to help Australian clinicians and policy-makers access high quality, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines via a single entry point.
This Portal is an initiative of the National Institute of Clinical Studies, an institute of the Australian Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council as part of our mandate to build a healthier Australia.
The Cochrane Collaboration and the Cochrane Library
Have you ever been to the doctor and been confronted with a treatment you knew nothing about and an explanation that left you just as confused? If so, please consider exploring the Cochrane Library, a virtual library with a database of over 4,500 health treatment reviews covering hundreds of medical conditions including many types of arthritis and soft tissue disorders.
To read the entire article click here.
Australasian Cochrane Centre
The Australasian Cochrane Centre co-ordinates activities of the Cochrane Collaboration in Australia and the wider region, principally by providing training and support to authors of Cochrane reviews, working with policy makers, advocating on behalf of the Collaboration regionally, and promoting the use and uptake of The Cochrane Library. The Centre works in partnership with its branches in Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.
Discover more...
-
10 steps for living well with arthritis
Here is our 10 steps checklist to help you live with arthritis.
-
Advocacy & policy
Arthritis Australia advocates to government, business, industry and community leaders to improve care, management, support and quality of life for people with arthritis..
-
Children and arthritis
Arthritis can happen at any age. Here, you can find management and treatment information specifically created for the more than 6,000 Australian children living with...
Sign up to Arthritis Insights
Regular updates, news and research findings delivered to your inbox:
