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Arthritis
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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Division of Adult and Community Health
Health Care and Aging Studies Branch

Arthritis Program
Mailstop K-51
4770 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30341-3724
Phone: 770.488.5464
Fax: 770.488.5964
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Quick Stats

bullet Prevalence
bullet Impact
bullet Cost
bullet Interventions

Quick Stats on Arthritis

Prevalence

  • 46.4 million adults in the United States have doctor-diagnosed arthritis (just over 1 in 5 adults). Read more.
     
  • The percentage of adults with arthritis ranges from 22% in Hawaii to 35% in West Virginia. State median is 27% in 2005. View the prevalence data for each state—list of statesclickable map.
     
  • Arthritis affects all race and ethnic groups: 37.2 million white adults, 4.6 million black adults, 3.1 million Hispanic adults, and 1.6 million adults of other races have arthritis. Read more.
     
  • The risk of arthritis increases with age and is more common among women than men. Read more.
     
  • In all U.S. states, working-age adults (18-64 years old) face work limitations they attribute to arthritis; the prevalence of work limitations due to arthritis varies by state. Read more.
     
  • An estimated 294,000 children under age 18 have some form of arthritis or rheumatic condition, this represents approximately 1 in every 250 children. abstractarthritis type table state table

Impact

  • Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States. Read more. Nearly 19 million adults say that arthritis limits their usual activities in some way. Read more.
     
  • State-specific prevalence estimates of arthritis-attributable work limitation show a high impact of arthritis on working-age (18-64 years) adults in all U.S. states, ranging from a low of 3.4% to a high of 15% of 1 in 2 adults with arthritis in this age group. Read more. State maps relating to this publication are available. Map 1 Map 2
     
  • 8.2 million working aged U.S. adults (about 1 in 20) report work limitations due to arthritis or joint symptoms. Read more.
     
  • Blacks with arthritis have more activity limitation than whites. Blacks and Hispanics with arthritis have more work limitation and severe joint pain from arthritis than whites. Read more.

Cost

  • In 2003, the total cost attributed to arthritis and other rheumatic conditions in the United States was 128 billion dollars, up from 86.2 billion dollars in 1997. ($80.8 billion in medical care expenditures and $47 billion in earnings losses). Read more.
     
  • Medical expenditures (direct costs) for arthritis and other rheumatic conditions in 2003 were 80.8 billion dollars, up from 51.1 billion in 1997. Read more.
     
  • Earnings losses (indirect costs) for arthritis and other rheumatic conditions in 2003 were 47 billion dollars, up from 35.1 billion in 1997. Read more.
     
  • States ranged from $121 million in Wyoming to $8.4 billion in California. Read more.

Interventions

  • Effective strategies exist to reduce the impact of arthritis. Read more.
     
  • Anticipating employment disability due to arthritis and addressing employment barriers through increased education, awareness, workplace accommodations, and other interventions can help reduce arthritis disability in the U.S. workforce. Read more.

 

Page last reviewed: June 8, 2008
Page last modified: March 29, 2007
Content Source: Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion





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