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Biography
The main interests in Dr. Jordan's research are the epidemiology of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints is a leading cause of disability and work disability in this country. Several studies suggest that the rural South may be especially hard-hit by arthritis and its resultant disabilities.
Dr. Jordan is the principal investigator of a large, community-based prospective cohort of osteoarthritis of the knee and hip in Johnston County, a rural North Carolina county. The Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project is the first of its type to include both African-Americans and Caucasians and is unique in its inclusion of radiographic, serologic, genetic, and physical and functional examinations of its participants. The study is designed to examine multiple potential causes of radiographic osteoarthritis and of pain, disability, and work disability. These include demographic, physical, metabolic and psychosocial factors, as well as diet and aspects of the rural work and home environments.
Industry Expertise (3)
Education/Learning
Research
Health and Wellness
Areas of Expertise (11)
Osteoarthritis
Epidemiology
Radiographic Osteoarthritis
Rheumatology
Immunology
Genetics of Osteoarthritis
Ethnic Health Disparities
Biomarkers
Heavy Metal Exposures
Disability
Hemochromatosis
Accomplishments (4)
Distinguished Service to Rural Life Award (professional)
2011 Awarded by the Rural Sociological Society
Inaugural Award for Excellence in Investigative Mentoring (professional)
2009 Awarded by the American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation
Osteoarthritis Research Society International Clinical Research Award (professional)
2007
Inductee (professional)
Conferred by the American Clinical and Climatological Association
Education (5)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: MPH, Epidemiology 1991
Duke University Medical Center: Fellowship, Rheumatology 1986
Duke University Medical Center: Residency, Internal Medicine 1984
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: M.D., Medicine 1981
Cornell University: A.B., Biology 1977
Affiliations (1)
- American College of Rheumatology : Board of Directors
Media Appearances (5)
Knee osteoarthritis risk unaffected by moderate exercise
Medical News Today online
2013-08-31
Senior author Dr. Joanne Jordan, director of the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, describes the findings as good news: "This study shows that engaging in physical activity at these levels is not going to put you at a greater risk of knee osteoarthritis. Furthermore, we found this held true no matter what a person's race, sex or body weight is. There was absolutely no association between these factors and a person's risk."...
5 fixes for achy joints
Fox News Health online
2013-02-11
"Rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect the small joints in your hands and feet first," says Dr. Joanne Jordan, director of the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina. "Then other joints, like the shoulders and elbows, start to become painful."...
Arthritis pain can turn up in surprising places
USA Today online
2012-11-11
Studies being discussed at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meetings in Washington, D.C., through Wednesday find that when osteoarthritis progresses to multiple joints it can cause havoc by triggering pain everywhere in the body from head to toe. New ways of managing the disease affecting 27 million Americans can prevent the crippling pain from spreading and improve overall health, according to Joanne Jordan, chairman of the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative's Chronic Osteoarthritis Management Initiative. "We need to treat the pain early on before it gets generalized," says Jordan, director of the University of North Carolina's Thurston Arthritis Research Center. "When pain becomes generalized, things that ordinarily wouldn't hurt are hurtful. For instance, you can pat someone on the shoulder and their shoulder, which might not be near the afflicted joint, will hurt. They'll wince or cry out in pain."...
Biggest Arthritis Myths Busted
ABC News online
2012-02-15
"It's hard to study this relationship, but even though we don't know for sure, it doesn't look like clear evidence that these foods can make symptoms worse," said Dr. Joanne Jordan, director of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine's Thurston Arthritis Research Center in Chapel Hill...
Alternative Therapies Offer Arthritis Pain Relief
ABC News online
2012-02-06
"Studies have been done on ginger and tumeric and have shown some anti-inflammatory effects, so there is at least some basic science to suggest these might be helpful," said Dr. Joanne Jordan, director of the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill...
Articles (5)
Greater Mechanical Loading During Walking Is Associated With Less Collagen Turnover in Individuals With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
2016-02-01
Individuals who have sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and undergo ACL reconstruction (ACLR) are at higher risk of developing knee osteoarthritis. It is hypothesized that altered knee loading may influence the underlying joint metabolism and hasten development of posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis.
Variations in Hip Shape Are Associated with Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Analyses of the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project
The Journal of Rheumatology
2016-02-01
Hip shape by statistical shape modeling (SSM) is associated with hip radiographic osteoarthritis (rOA). We examined associations between hip shape and knee rOA given the biomechanical interrelationships between these joints.
Novel statistical methodology reveals that hip shape is associated with incident radiographic hip osteoarthritis among African American women
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage
2016-04-01
Hip shape is a risk factor for the development of hip osteoarthritis (OA), and current methods to assess hip shape from radiographs are limited; therefore this study explored current and novel methods to assess hip shape.
Racial differences in associations between baseline patterns of radiographic osteoarthritis and multiple definitions of progression of hip osteoarthritis: the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project
Arthritis Research and Therapy
2015-12-18
We identified baseline radiographic features that predict hip osteoarthritis (HOA) progression, and explored differences in these associations by race.
Annual Incidence of Knee Symptoms and Four Knee Osteoarthritis Outcomes in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project
Arthritis Care and Research
2016-01-01
The annual onset of knee symptoms, radiographic and symptomatic knee OA and its severity, in Johnston County was high. This may preview the future of knee OA in the US and underscores the urgency of clinical and public health collaborations that reduce risk factors for, and manage the impact of, these outcomes. Inexpensive, convenient, and proven strategies (e.g., physical activity, self-management education courses) complement clinical care and can reduce pain and improve quality of life for people with arthritis.
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