During the working years, age 18-64, arthritis and rheumatic diseases constitute the most common causes of work disability, with heart disease ranked second, and spine disorders ranked thirds. It is well known that 15% of new claimants to the Social Security System cite musculoskeletal disease as the cause of their impairment.

Both primary care physicians and specialists may be able to define the level of impairment and associated disability of individual patients with rheumatic disease by using the Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire or MHAQ developed at Stanford University4. MHAQ activities that are usually asked include the following.