CA SR92

May 2024 is recognized as Lupus and Fibromyalgia Awareness Month in California.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder causing widespread pain and fatigue, with heightened pain sensitivity, and is six times more common in women than men.

Lupus is an acute, chronic autoimmune disease with four types (systemic, cutaneous, drug-induced, and neonatal), affecting approximately 1.5 million Americans and 5 million people worldwide.

Women aged 15-44 and racial groups including African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans have significantly higher risk of developing lupus, with women of color four times more likely to develop it than Caucasians.

Only two drugs have been approved specifically for lupus by the FDA in over 60 years, and 63 percent of Americans surveyed have never heard of lupus, indicating need for increased public awareness and education.