Arthritis is reported by approximately 21 percent of adults.
[Lethbridge – Cejku M, Schiller JS, Bernadel L. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2002. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 2004; 10 (222).]

Nearly 80 percent of adults either have or know someone with arthritis.
[Arthritis Foundation Awareness Study, 2001].

Arthritis prevalence increases with age, among adults over age 65, the prevalence of arthritis is 48 percent.
[Bolen J, Sniezek J, Theis K, Helmick C, Hootman J, Brady T, Langmaid G.  Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence and Impact of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis --- United States, 2002. MMWR 2005:54;119-123].

Arthritis affects more than 34 million Caucasians, more than 4.5 million African Americans and nearly 2.6 million Hispanics
[Bolen J, Sniezek J, Theis K, Helmick C, Hootman J, Brady T, Langmaid G.  Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence and Impact of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis --- United States, 2002. MMWR 2005:54;119-123].

The prevalence of arthritis is higher among women (24.3%) than men (17.1%).
[Bolen J, Sniezek J, Theis K, Helmick C, Hootman J, Brady T, Langmaid G.  Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence and Impact of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis --- United States, 2002. MMWR 2005:54;119-123].

In 2001, arthritis or chronic joint symptoms affected more than 53 million Caucasians, more than 6 million African Americans and nearly 6 million Hispanics.
[CDC (2002). Prevalence of self-reported arthritis or chronic joint symptoms among adults--United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 51, 948-950.]

In 2001, 68 percent of people with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms were younger than 65 years old.
[CDC (2002). Prevalence of self-reported arthritis or chronic joint symptoms among adults--United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 51, 948-950.]

In 2001, 28.4 percent of men and 37.3 percent of women in America had arthritis or chronic joint symptoms.
[CDC (2002). Prevalence of self-reported arthritis or chronic joint symptoms among adults--United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 51, 948-950.]

If prevalence rates remain stable, the number of affected persons ages 65 years and older will nearly double to 41.1 million by 2030.
[CDC (2003). Public health and aging: projected prevalence of self-reported arthritis or chronic joint symptoms among persons aged >65 years--United States, 2005-2030. MMWR, 52, 489-491].

Arthritis annually results in:

• 39 million physician visits
• 744,000 hospitalizations
• 3 million visits to outpatient departments
• 2.2 million visits to emergency departments

[CDC (1999). Impact of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions on the health-care system--United States, 1997. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 48, 349-353].

Arthritis is a more frequent cause of activity limitation than heart disease, cancer or diabetes
[American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (1999). Musculoskeletal Conditions in the United States, Rosemont, IL: AAOS].

Arthritis is the third leading cause of work limitation in the United States
[Stoddard S, Jans L, Ripple JM, Krause L. Chartbook on work and disability in the United States, 1998. Washington, DC: US National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research].

Nearly 300,000 children under the age of 17 are affected by juvenile arthritis
[Newacheck, P.W. & Taylor, W.R. (1992). Childhood chronic illness: prevalence, severity, and impact. Am J Public Health JID - 1254074, 82, 364-371].

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects up to 50,000 children
[Lawrence, R. C., Helmick, C. G., Arnett, F. C., Deyo, R. A., Felson, David T., Giannini, E. H., Heyse, S. P., Hirsch, R., Hochberg, Marc C., Hunder, G. G., Liang, M. H., Pillemer, S. R., Steen, V. D., and Wolfe, F. Estimates of the Prevalence of Arthritis and Selected Musculoskeletal Disorders in the United States. Arthritis & Rheumatism 41(5), 778-799. 1998].

Prevalence of Other Forms of Arthritis and Related Diseases:

• Osteoarthritis(OA), a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage, is the most common form of arthritis, affecting nearly 21 million Americans, most over the age of 45.
• In the United States, nearly 2.1 million people have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a systemic disease that affects the entire body and is characterized by the inflammation of the membrane lining the joint, which causes pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling. There are 2.5 times as many women as men with RA.
• Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. It affects at least 239,000 Americans and affects women eight to 10 times more than men.
• An estimated 2.1 million Americans have gout. Gout causes sudden, severe attacks of pain and tenderness, redness, warmth, and swelling in some joints. Gout usually affects one joint at a time -- often the big toe. It affects men more than women (1.56 million men, 500,000 women).
• Fibromyalgia, an arthritis-related condition that is characterized by generalized muscular pain and fatigue affects approximately 3.7 million people, and it occurs more commonly in women than in men.

[Lawrence, R. C., Helmick, C. G., Arnett, F. C., Deyo, R. A., Felson, David T., Giannini, E. H., Heyse, S. P., Hirsch, R., Hochberg, Marc C., Hunder, G. G., Liang, M. H., Pillemer, S. R., Steen, V. D., and Wolfe, F. Estimates of the Prevalence of Arthritis and Selected Musculoskeletal Disorders in the United States. Arthritis & Rheumatism 41(5), 778-799. 1998].

The Arthritis Foundation supports research, health education and government advocacy efforts to improve the lives of the nearly 46 million Americans with arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability. These services include: