Impactful Arthritis Research

This report is the third in a series commissioned by Arthritis Australia from Research Australia to guide the future direction of its research investment and advocacy. Building on a landscape and gap analysis of Australian arthritis research and a consumer engagement study, and informed by models used by Versus Arthritis (UK), the Arthritis Foundation (USA) and Arthritis New Zealand, it positions Arthritis Australia as the anchor point for national arthritis research. It recommends four advocacy targets: an economic analysis of the impact of arthritis, pilot models of consumer engagement in research, partnerships on juvenile arthritis, and a national survey of people living with arthritis. It identifies four research investment areas: better care (coordinated care with a focus on allied health), basic research into causes, symptoms and prevention, priority populations (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, rural and remote communities and people with disability), and cross-cutting musculoskeletal research. It also proposes improvements to research administration, including balancing investigator-led and priority-driven funding, mapping research infrastructure, and developing an evaluation framework.