National Psoriatic Arthritis Day in Canada Date in the current year: October 19, 2024

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin that are red (sometimes pink or purple), dry, itchy, and scaly. It is associated with an increased risk of several health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, depression, type 2 diabetes, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, some types of cancer, and psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis occurs in up to 30% of people with psoriasis. About 70% of patients develop psoriatic arthritis following the onset of skin psoriasis, 15% develop both diseases simultaneously, and the remaining 15% develop psoriatic arthritis first, which is then followed by skin psoriasis.

Psoriatic arthritis is a long-term inflammatory arthritis that affects fingers and toes. Common signs of psoriatic arthritis are pain and stiffness in affected joints, swelling of entire fingers and toes (“sausage digits”), and psoriatic onychodystrophy (changes to the nails such as small depressions or ridges, thickening, and painless detachment of the nail from the nailbed).

Flare-ups of psoriatic arthritis are usually accompanied by extreme exhaustion that can last for days or weeks even with adequate rest. Periods of flare-ups typically alternate with periods of remission. There is no cure for psoriatic arthritis. Treatments are directed at reducing and controlling inflammation that causes joint problems. When left untreated, the disease can severely affect one’s quality of life.

National Psoriatic Arthritis Day has been observed in Canada every October 19 since 2020. It is supported and promoted by multiple healthcare and patient organizations, including the Canadian Association of Psoriasis Patients, the Canadian Spondyloarthritis Association, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Dermatology Association, and many more.

The main goal of National PsA Day is to educate the general public on psoriatic arthritis, its impact and available treatments, raise awareness of the challenges that patients and their caregivers face, advocate for better access to care and treatments for patients with psoriatic arthritis, and support research.

To raise awareness of psoriatic arthritis, several landmarks across Canada are illuminated in psoriasis colors (purple and orange). Cities that have supported the campaign by illuminating their landmarks include Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Victoria, Vancouver, St. John’s, Halifax, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Saskatoon.

You can get involved with National Psoriatic Arthritis Day by learning more about PsA and sharing the facts you’ve learned with others, sharing your experiences with psoriatic arthritis to raise awareness, donating to an organization that supports psoriasis patients or funds research, and spreading the word on social media with the hashtags #NationalPsoriaticArthritisDay and #NationalPsADay.