Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs) Public Awareness Program of Georgia 2019–2020

• Published in: Clinical rheumatology 2022-03, Vol.41 (3), p.935-937
• Main Authors: Gobejishvili, Nino, Gogilashvili, Tamar, Khechuashvili, Sofio, Nikoladze, Sopio, Shanava, Zita, Tserodze, Ana, Kukuladze, Tea, Bakradze, Marika, Makaridze, Lali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communication; Georgia (Republic); Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases - diagnosis; Perceptions; Perspectives in Rheumatology; Rheumatic Diseases - diagnosis; Rheumatic Diseases - epidemiology; Rheumatology
• ISSN: 0770-3198; 1434-9949
• DOI: 10.1007/s10067-021-05987-y

   The program’s goal is to launch the platform of positive perspectives for people who are suffering from/working in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases through the “Don’t Delay, Connect Today” campaign. The original campaign toolkit 2018 was primarily used to guide the design of the program. A questionnaire and special sheets were created to measure the program’s expected outcomes/effectiveness and the possible distribution of rheumatic diseases across Georgia. All targeted sides were engaged during the program, including the governmental bodies, more than 30 municipalities, and several clinical bases of regional and central Georgia. A total of 873 people in general have been made aware during the program. A total of 37,539 of disease-suspected cases in total were calculated from the 6 regions of Georgia within the program. National-level communications are currently ongoing. The program raised public awareness, promoted “umbrella” interconnection among the interconnected sides, and increased the possibility of effective outcomes through national advocacy actions with a primary emphasis on timely diagnosis and access to appropriate care.