Self Care Catalysts launched a mobile app, called AS Health Storylines, to support patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and other associated Spondyloarthritis (SpA) diseases such as Psoriatic Arthritis. Created in partnership with the Canadian Spondylitis Association, the application was designed based on real people’s feedback to ensure that the right features and tools are available for patients.

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, progressive, painful form of inflammatory arthritis, and Spondyloarthritis (SpA) describes a group of inflammatory arthritis diseases with common features, including inflammation of the spine, joints, eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract. At present, there is no cure for AS and SpA, but with the proper self-care and management of the disease from as early a stage as possible, patients can live fully productive lives.

“It cannot be overemphasized how important self-care is to the management of AS and SpA,” Michael Mallinson, president of the Canadian Spondylitis Association, said in a statement. “Apart from adhering to pharmacological therapy, other components of self-care such as exercise can help relieve pain and stiffness. With the AS Health Storylines app, patients can better document the different components of their self-care and monitor their impact on the disease.”

AS Health Storylines helps patients engage better in their own self-care by making it easy for them to track and visualize patterns around their disease. Using the app, they can track a number of factors, including medications, symptoms, fatigue levels, moods, and physical activity. It also allows them to sync with other health apps and devices like FitBit and Jawbone, while creating so called “My Storylines” which gives them greater self-awareness about their disease.

AS Health Storylines is free to download for iPhone and Android smartphone users in the USA and Canada.