Bill Text: NJ AJR74 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates first full week of May in each year as "Psoriasis Awareness Week."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-06-18 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [AJR74 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AJR74-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RUBEN J. RAMOS, JR.
District 33 (Hudson)
Assemblyman PETER J. BARNES, III
District 18 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Gusciora
SYNOPSIS
Designates first full week of May in each year as "Psoriasis Awareness Week."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating the first full week of May in each year as "Psoriasis Awareness Week."
Whereas, Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that, in its most common form, causes painful, itchy lesions of red, inflamed skin covered with silvery scales; and
Whereas, These lesions most often occur on the elbows, knees, legs, lower back, scalp, face, palms, and soles of the feet, but they can occur anywhere on the skin, including on the fingernails, the toenails, the soft tissues of the genitals, and inside the mouth; and
Whereas, Psoriasis is not contagious, but is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors that mistakenly trigger the body's immune system, causing skin cells to grow too rapidly and accumulate in the skin's top layers, leading to the formation of lesions; and
Whereas, Psoriasis appears equally in men and women and affects individuals of all ethnicities and age groups, although the disease primarily affects adults; and
Whereas, According to the National Institutes of Health, psoriasis affects more than three percent of the U.S. population, or at least 5 million adults; and
Whereas, The National Institutes of Health estimates that approximately 30 percent of people with psoriasis are also afflicted with psoriatic arthritis, which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling similar to rheumatoid arthritis, as well as painful swelling of the fingers and toes, foot pain, and lower back pain; and
Whereas, People with psoriasis may struggle with significant physical discomfort that interferes with mobility, sleep, self-care, caring for family members, employment in certain occupations, and physical exercise or other rigorous activities; and
Whereas, People with psoriasis may also struggle with significant psychological distress, including feelings of self-consciousness and stigma about their appearances, fears of public rejection, significant depression, and social isolation; and
Whereas, Although several treatments for psoriasis currently exist, effective treatment can be challenging due to the disease's unpredictable cycles of improvement and worsening, patients' varying responses to the same treatment, the possibility of resistance to repeated treatments over time, and the serious side effects involved in certain treatments; and
Whereas, There is a misconception among the general population that psoriasis is a trivial, cosmetic condition that results from poor hygiene or other self-imposed conditions, requiring little understanding or sympathy; and
Whereas, It is appropriate for the State of New Jersey to improve public awareness and understanding of this misunderstood health issue, to encourage support for those individuals who have been afflicted by psoriasis, and to promote more initiatives at the State, local, and national levels to enhance research into treating this disease; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The first full week of May in each year shall be designated as "Psoriasis Awareness Week" to raise awareness about this painful disease's causes, symptoms, and impacts on the citizens of this State, to encourage support for affected individuals, and to promote further research into treating this disease.
2. The Governor shall annually issue a proclamation recognizing the first full week of May as "Psoriasis Awareness Week" in New Jersey and shall call upon public officials and the citizens of this State to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution would designate the first full week in May of each year as "Psoriasis Awareness Week" in New Jersey to raise awareness about this painful disease and its impacts, to encourage support for affected individuals, and to promote further research into treating this disease.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes painful, itchy lesions of red, inflamed skin covered with silvery scales. These lesions can occur anywhere on the skin, but most often occur on the elbows, knees, legs, lower back, scalp, face, palms, and soles of the feet. People with psoriasis may struggle with significant physical discomfort, disability, or psychological distress due to feelings of self-consciousness and stigma about their appearances.
Psoriasis affects more than three percent of the U.S. population, or at least 5 million adults. The disease appears equally in men and women and affects individuals of all ethnicities and age groups. Although several treatments for psoriasis currently exist, effective treatment can be challenging due to the disease's unpredictable nature and patients' varying responses to treatment. Raising public awareness of the causes, symptoms, and impacts of psoriasis may help combat misconceptions regarding the disease and encourage broader support for its sufferers, and help promote further research into more effective treatments for the disease.
