Planning for a future without fear: Studying the long-term health of people with JIA

What is this project? 
Currently, there is a lack of information on what happens to children and young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) as they become adults. For example, we do not know:
• How many young people will continue to have arthritis as adults?
• How many children with JIA continued to have arthritis, or need treatment, as adults?
• What's the impact on their quality of life, mental health and ability to have children?
• How often do complications of JIA and its treatment happen?

Answering these questions may reduce worries for patients and their family members. Recognising the importance of this research, Versus Arthritis have funded me as part of a Career Development Fellowship to answer these questions. Read more on the Versus Arthritis website.


Who leads this research? 
This project is led by Dr Lianne Kearsley-Fleet, an epidemiologist, who for the past 11 years has worked on the UK JIA Biologics Register answering important questions for children and young people with JIA.