Educational Talk – RA Treatment & Daily Care
14th June 2014
RA Treatment & Daily Care Talk was taken part in Room 1105-1106, Headquarters of Scout Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Scout Centre on 14th June 2014. The talk aimed to enhance people’s understanding of the treatment and joint protection of RA. There were 115 participants in total.
The talk was started by Dr. LEE Ka-lai a specialist in Rheumatology, to introduce the definition of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the incidence rate in Hong Kong. There were around 3 to 4 out of 1,000 people, affected by environmental like smoking and infection and genetic factors, diagnosed as RA in the population. Dr. LEE explained the differences between RA and Osteoarthritis (OA) in light of the symptoms and methods of diagnosis. She urged the participants to start treatment as soon as possible since many research showed that 80% of joints suffered from irreversible damage in the first two years of incidence if neglected. Moreover, Dr. LEE introduced the traditional and new treatment methods to enhance the participants’ understanding on the pros and cons of different methods.
Apart from this, the talk was continued by Ms. Kristan LEUNG, an Occupational Therapist, to introduce the purpose and application of occupational therapy to assist patients in recovering, preventing further damage and reintegrating into the society. Not only did the occupational therapists assess the patients’ condition, but also focused on patient education to train their ability in taking care of themselves and the usage of various aids. Therapists would also advise patients on how to modify their surrounding for safety reason. Ms. LEUNG introduced joint protection to the participants in hope of preventing joints deformity, easing pain and preventing the loss of ability to work. A number of photos and videos were used to enhance the audience to understand the principles and application of joint protection.
Most participants were interested in the use of medication especially biologics. Dr. LEE and Ms. LEUNG answered their enquiries patiently. They were satisfied with the arrangement and content of the talk and hoped to join these activities in the future.
