Programs

  • Patient Education and Support Programs

    PATIENT EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, WEBINARS, AND HEALTH EDUCATION CONTENT, ALONG WITH PATIENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS ARE DELIVERED VIA VARIOUS DIGITAL OUTLETS. SAA'S INTERACTIVE WEBSITE, LOCATED AT SPONDYLITIS.ORG, CONTAINS THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS INFORMATION, AND SERVES ALMOST 605,000 UNIQUE VISITORS EACH YEAR.PATIENT EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY UTILIZING A ROBUST AND INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE PLATFORM. THE PLATFORM FEATURED AN ANIMATED AND INTERACTIVE LOBBY TO ACCESS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CONFERENCE HALL, INCLUDING THE EXHIBIT HALL, ACTIVITY LOUNGE, SPA RESOURCES HUB, AND PRESENTATION HALL, WHERE ATTENDEES ACCESSED THE SPEAKERS' LIVE PRESENTATIONS AND TOOK PART IN MODERATED Q&A SESSIONS. IN ADDITION, "FACEBOOK LIVE" BROADCASTS WERE ALSO CONDUCTED. THESE BROADCASTS ARE RECORDED AND AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE USE THROUGH THE SAA WEBSITE.PATIENT EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE A COLLECTION OF 12 UPDATED (AND PHYSICIAN VETTED) ENGLISH LANGUAGE SPONDYLOARTHRITIS EDUCATIONAL BROCHURES, AND 10 SPANISH LANGUAGE BROCHURES.SPONDYLITIS PLUS MAGAZINE - SAA MEMBERS RECEIVE QUARTERLY ISSUES OF THE ORGANIZATION'S PREMIERE PRINT PUBLICATION. SPONDYLITIS PLUS PROVIDES IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF ISSUES SUCH AS PAIN, FATIGUE, AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS, DISCUSSES THE LATEST RESEARCH AND TREATMENT INFORMATION - OFTEN PRESENTED BY PROMINENT RHEUMATOLOGISTS AND RESEARCHERS, FEATURES MOVING AND UNIQUE PERSONAL STORIES FROM OTHERS WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS, AND MUCH MORE. OVER 4,500 COPIES ARE DISTRIBUTED QUARTERLY.STRAIGHT TALK ON SPONDYLOARTHRITIS BOOK - THE 4TH EDITION OF THIS LEGACY PUBLICATION WAS FULLY RE-WRITTEN AND REDESIGNED. RELEASED IN DECEMBER OF 2023, THIS FULL COLOR EDITION FEATURES 12 NEW CHAPTERS, WRITTEN BY VARIOUS CONTENT EXPERTS, AND RECEIVED A FULL REDESIGN.ESUN - MORE THAN 45,000 PEOPLE SUBSCRIBE TO AND RECEIVE SAA'S ESUN EACH MONTH. ESUN, THE ELECTRONIC SPONDYLOARTHRITIS UPDATE NEWSLETTER, CONTAINS A VARIETY OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS-RELATED CONTENT, SUCH AS NEWS, RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES, UPCOMING SAA PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES, STORIES FROM THOSE LIVING WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS, AND MORE.SPONDYCAST PODCAST SERIES - SAA LAUNCHED A NEW WEEKLY PODCAST CALLED SPONDYCAST IN MARCH 2023, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 45 EPISODES RELEASED IN FY25. BOARD MEMBER AND HOST JILL MILLER INTERVIEWS WORLD-RENOWNED SPECIALISTS IN VARIOUS FIELDS INCLUDING MEDICINE, PSYCHOLOGY, DIET AND NUTRITION, AND FITNESS. SPONDYCAST IS AVAILABLE ON A VARIETY OF PLATFORMS INCLUDING SPOTIFY, APPLE, IHEART RADIO, PANDORA, AMAZON MUSIC, AND MORE. "LIFE AFTER DIAGNOSIS" VIDEO SERIES-THIS PATIENT-FOCUSED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ADDRESSES THE UNMET NEED OF A SYSTEMATIC PATH TO UNDERSTANDING THE DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENTS, AND MANAGEMENT OF ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS (AS). THE PROJECT IS COMPRISED OF A SERIES OF SEVEN VIDEOS; EACH DELIVERED THROUGH AN EMAIL CONTAINING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RELATED TO THE TOPIC AT HAND. THE CONTENT WAS DEVELOPED IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH LEADING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AS WELL AS PATIENTS LIVING WITH AS. OVER 2,400 PARTICIPANTS HAVE ENROLLED IN THIS PROGRAM. ANIMATED VIDEO: WHAT IS NR-AXSPA?-SAA WORKED WITH A DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION COMPANY TO SCRIPT AND DEVELOP OUR NEWEST ANIMATED EDUCATIONAL VIDEO, "WHAT IS NR-AXSPA?" THIS PIECE DISCUSSES COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF NR-AXSPA AND SHARES HELPFUL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES FOR THOSE IMPACTED (WHETHER DIAGNOSED ORNOT.)HEALTHY LIVING WITH AXSPA - THANKS TO THE SPONSORSHIP OF UCB, SAA CREATED A 2-PART VIDEO SERIES CALLED HEALTHY LIVING WITH AXSPA. THE FIRST VIDEO IN THIS UNIQUE SERIES, HEALTH LIVING WITH AXSPA: COOKING WITH KEVIN GILLESPIE, FEATURES A COOKING DEMONSTRATION TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE PEOPLE TO EMBRACE AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET FOR IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES. IN THE SECOND VIDEO OF THE SERIES, HEALTHY LIVING WITH AXSPA: MANAGING MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH, RHEUMATOLOGIST HILLARY NORTON AND LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST DR. JANA LOMAX DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND PROVIDE TIPS THAT CAN MAKE A HUGE IMPACT ON WELL-BEING WHILE MANAGING A CHRONIC CONDITION. BOTH VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON SAA'S WEBSITE AS ENDURING CONTENT. MEET THE MAKER VIDEO SERIES - IN FY25, SAA LAUNCHED ITS DEBUT VIDEO EPISODE OF MEET THE MAKER, SPONSORED BY UCB, IN THIS VIDEO, RHEUMATOLOGISTS DR. ATUL DEODHAR AND DR. JEFFREY STARK, ALONG WITH A UCB HEALTH NAVIGATOR, DISCUSSED UCB'S NEW MEDICATION BIMZELX. THEY PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE SAFETY, SIDE EFFECTS, AND EFFICACY OF THIS MEDICATION, AS WELL AS UCB'S PATIENT SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING NURSE NAVIGATORS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.GLOBAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS SUMMIT 2025 - SAA'S SIGNATURE ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, 7THANNUAL GLOBAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS SUMMIT, TOOK PLACE MAY 2-3. THIS YEAR'S SUMMIT FEATURED 12 PRESENTATIONS BY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, WITH EACH PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY A LIVE Q&A FOR ATTENDEES TO HAVE THEIR MOST PRESSING QUESTIONS ANSWERED. ON THE CORMORBIDITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS. THE SUMMIT ALSO FEATURED DAILY TRIVIA QUIZZES, A LEADERBOARD CHALLENGE, AN ACTIVITY LOUNGE AND AN EXHIBIT HALL. SAA ALSO PROVIDED SPANISH LANGUAGE SUBTITLES FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. NEARLY 3,000 ATTENDEES FROM 85 COUNTRIES REGISTERED FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT. RECORDINGS OF THE PRESENTATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AS ENDURING CONTENT ON SAA'S WEBSITE. SAA'S SUPPORT GROUPS - FROM JULY 1, 2024, TO JUNE 30, 2025, 37 ACTIVE SUPPORT GROUP LEADERS CONDUCTED A TOTAL OF 225 SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS. OUR SUPPORT GROUPS SPANNED 24 STATES AND 1 FEDERAL DISTRICT (WASHINGTON, DC), ENSURING WIDESPREAD REACH AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MEETINGS WERE OFFERED IN VARIOUS FORMATS, INCLUDING ONLINE, IN-PERSON, AND HYBRID, TO ACCOMMODATE THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF ATTENDEES. WE HELD 12 SOCIAL CHAT HOURS, PROVIDING AN INFORMAL PLATFORM FOR SUPPORT GROUP LEADERS TO CONNECT, SHARE EXPERIENCES, AND OFFER MUTUAL SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE MORE STRUCTURED SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS. FOUR QUARTERLY CHECK-INS WERE HELD, ALLOWING US TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GATHER FEEDBACK FROM SUPPORT GROUP LEADERS, ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR PROGRAMS, AND MAKE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. WE WELCOMED 4 NEW SUPPORT GROUP LEADERS (WASHINGTON, DC, THE WOODLANDS, CHICAGO). THESE ADDITIONS REFLECT OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO EXPAND OUR REACH AND ENHANCE SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS IN NEW REGIONS. CURRENTLY, OUR "MEETINGS WITHOUT BORDERS" INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO GROW, WITH 344 INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED TO RECEIVE ALERTS ABOUT UPCOMING MEETINGS. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS CONSTITUENTS TO JOIN MEETINGS BEYOND THEIR LOCAL AREA, FOSTERING A BROADER SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT. SUPPORT GROUP LEADERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN MEETING ATTENDEES JOINING THEIR SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS FROM LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THEIR LOCAL AREA/STATE.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2024 – Jun 30, 2025
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $938.7K

  • Back 2 Spa Basics Program

    BACK 2 SPA BASICS PROGRAM - IN ITS 2ND YEAR, THIS PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO RAISE SPA AWARENESS AND EDUCATE PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WITHIN A HOSPITAL'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM USING MEDICAL RESIDENTS AS TRAINERS. RESIDENTS WHO COMPLETED THEIR CORE CLINICAL TRAINING IN INTERNAL MEDICINE AND HAVE CHOSEN RHEUMATOLOGY AS A SPECIALTY PARTICIPATED IN A SERIES OF 3 TRAININGS ABOUT SPA CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. ONCE THESE RESIDENTS COMPLETE THE "TRAIN-THE-TRAINER" CURRICULUM, THEY SET UP PRESENTATIONS AT THEIR LOCAL HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF SPA. DURING FY25, SAA HAD 23 RESIDENTS ENROLL WHO THEN GAVE PRESENTATIONS ON SPA TO OVER 200 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WITHIN THEIR MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS. ACCREDITED ONLINE EDUCATION FOR FIRST RESPONDERS - SAA'S COURSE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, "EMS PITFALLS: ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS" WAS REACCREDITED IN DECEMBER 2022 AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE 1 CE CREDIT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. STANDARD EMS TREATMENT PROTOCOLS CAN CAUSE INJURY, DISABILITY, AND EVEN DEATH IN PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS (AS). THIS COURSE PROVIDES TOOLS TO RECOGNIZE AS, AND SAFELY AND PROPERLY MANAGE IT IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. ANESTHESIOLOGY AND AIRWAY MANAGEMENT MODULE- THE SPONDYLITIS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA LAUNCHED THE ONLINE ACCREDITED COURSE FOR ANESTHESIOLOGISTS IN EARLY FEBRUARY 2023. THIS COLLABORATION WITH HENRY FORD HEALTH AIMS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE AND PRACTICAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS IN AIRWAY MANAGEMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS. THIS ACTIVITY IS GUARANTEED TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 600 LEARNERS. CASE BASED MRI EDUCATIONAL TOOL FOR AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS-SAA SUPPORTED THE ENHANCEMENT BY CARE ARTHRITIS OF A MOBILE APP, LAUNCHED IN 2023, WHICH HOSTS AND DELIVERS MRI CASE STUDIES GEARED TO RHEUMATOLOGISTS AND RADIOLOGISTS. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO ADDRESS A TOP-RANKED UNMET EDUCATIONAL NEED IN THE FIELD OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS, NAMELY, THE APPROPRIATE INTERPRETATION OF MRI BY RHEUMATOLOGISTS AND RADIOLOGISTS FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF SPA. THE APP STREAMING CONTENT IS CASE-BASED AND INCLUDES BOTH CLINICAL AND IMAGING COMPONENTS. RHEUM TO DIAGNOSE- THE GOAL OF "RHEUM TO DIAGNOSE" IS TO ADDRESS REAL WORLD BARRIERS TO AN ACCURATE AND EXPEDIENT DIAGNOSIS OF NRAXSPA IN THE RHEUMATOLOGY SETTING. THE PHYSICIAN-FACING CONTENT OF RHEUM TO DIAGNOSE INCLUDES A TOTAL OF SIX PRESENTATIONS FEATURING EXPERTS IN SPONDYLOARTHRITIS, GEARED TO TWO DISTINCT AUDIENCES: RHEUMATOLOGY FELLOWS, AND MEDICAL STUDENTS. ALL SIX PRESENTATIONS (THREE FOR RHEUMATOLOGY FELLOWS, AND THREE FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS) ALONG WITH A PROMOTIONAL TRAILER, ARE AVAILABLE ON SAA'S WEBSITE.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2024 – Jun 30, 2025
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $396K

  • Early Career Investigator Awards

    EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR AWARDS (ECI)TWO OF THESE PRESTIGIOUS JANE BRUCKEL EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR AWARDS WERE PUBLICLY PRESENTED DURING THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY ANNUAL CONFERENCE THIS FISCAL YEAR. EACH RECEIVED $30,000 TO CONDUCT SPONDYLOARTHRITIS RESEARCH THIS YEAR. -DR. PARAS KARMACHARYA, MD, MS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE IN THE DIVISION OF RHEUMATOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER.DURING HIS INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY, DR. KARMACHARYA FOCUSED ON CLINICAL RESEARCH AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES USING NATIONAL DATABASES. AS A RHEUMATOLOGY FELLOW AT MAYO CLINIC, HE INVESTIGATED THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS (PSA) AND THE COMORBIDITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SPA. HIS RESEARCH HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN LEADING RHEUMATOLOGY JOURNALS, INCLUDING ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES, ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH, AND ACR OPEN RHEUMATOLOGY. IN RECOGNITION OF HIS CONTRIBUTIONS, HE RECEIVED THE 2020 PHILIP S. HENCH AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE AS A SUBSPECIALTY FELLOW IN RHEUMATOLOGY.- DR. RACHAEL STOVALL, MD, MAS, IS AN ACTING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR I THE DIVISION OF RHEUMATOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSIY OF WASHINGTON, SPECIALIZING IN AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS (AXSPA). DR. STOVALL COMPLETED A RESEARCH-FOCUSED RHEUMATOLOGY FELLOWSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO (UCSF), WHERE SHE ALSO EARNED A MASTER OF ADVANCED STUDIES IN CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH. HER RESEARCH BEGAN DURING HER INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, WHERE SHE STUDIED THE IMPACT OF TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR INHIBITORS AND OTHER THERAPIES ON SPA PATIENTS. HER FINDINGS ON FRACTURE RISK, OPIOID USE, AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN AXSPA HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH AND NATURE REVIEWS RHEUMATOLOGY.IN ADDITION TO FUNDING ECI AWARDS, SAA RECEIVES FUNDING REQUESTS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES TO SUPPORT RESEARCH RELATED TO SPONDYLOARTHRITIS. THE ORGANIZATION CONSIDERS IT IMPERATIVE THAT ANY RESEARCH PROPOSALS MAKE OPTIMAL USE OF THESE LIMITED RESOURCES. THE FOLLOWING SAA FUNDED RESEARCH GRANTS WERE CONDUCTED DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR:" JOERG ERMANN, MD AT THE BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL. STUDY ""DECODING AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS THROUGH TISSUE ANALYSIS."" KRISTINE KUHN, MD, PHD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ANSCHUTZ MEDICAL CAMPUS. STUDY ""LICENSING OF GUT-TRAFFICKED T CELLS BY EPITHELIAL MHC CLASS II."" SUSAN MURPHY, SCD OTR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH SYSTEM. STUDY "RENEW SPONDYLOARTHRITIS:FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY OF A PEER HEALTH COACHED RESILIENCE-BUILDING ENERGYMANAGEMENT INTERVENTION TO ENHANCE WELLBEING AND FATIGUE."
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2024 – Jun 30, 2025
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $294.7K