The CDC merged data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2013-2015 Sample Adult Core components to estimate average annual arthritis prevalence in American adults (non-institutionalized and civilian) 18 years or older. The agency found that an estimated 22.7 percent (54.4 million) of adults had doctor-diagnosed arthritis, with significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence in women (23.5 percent) than in men (18.1 percent). Although not a surprise, arthritis prevalence also increased with age.
Additionally, the age-adjusted prevalence of arthritis among adults who did no physical activity (23.6 percent) is much higher than the prevalence of arthritis among adults who reported regular exercise (18.1 percent).
Despite more awareness among American adults (of all generations) that joint issues can strike them, the CDC expects the prevalence of physician-diagnosed arthritis to incline. By 2040, says the agency, estimated 78.4 million (25.9 percent of the projected total adult population) adults aged 18 years and older will have doctor-diagnosed arthritis, compared with the 54.4 million adults in 2013-2015. Two-thirds of those with arthritis will be women.
For further reading:
• Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring MA, Brady TJ. Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation — United States, 2013—2015. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017 March 7. [Epub ahead of print].
• Hootman JM, Helmick CG, Barbour KE, Theis KA, Boring MA. Updated projected prevalence of self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation among US adults, 2015-2040. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68(7):1582-7. doi: 10.1002/art.39692. PubMed PMID: 27015600.
