John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Arthritis and rheumatic diseases in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
Rheumatic diseases affect a person’s joints and muscles and include both degenerative conditions, as well as autoimmune diseases. Some of the most commonly known rheumatic diseases include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, and Sjogren’s syndrome. However, there are over 100 diseases and conditions that fall under the category of rheumatism. Despite the breadth of such conditions, the term arthritis is commonly used to refer to any disorder that affects the joints. When a person has arthritis, it generally refers to a more specific rheumatic disease. It is estimated that high-income North America is the region with the highest rate of osteoarthritis cases worldwide, with around 9.7 cases per 100,000 population.
How many people in the United States have arthritis?
It is estimated that around 53.2 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with arthritis by a doctor or other health professional. From 2019 to 2021, around 25.7 million adults in the United States aged 65 years and older had been diagnosed with arthritis, while adults aged 18 to 44 years accounted for 6.2 million cases. The states with the highest share of adults with arthritis are West Virginia, Alabama, and Arkansas. In West Virginia, around 44 percent of all adults are thought to have arthritis. Although there is no cure for arthritis, there are treatment options. Common arthritis treatments include over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine, corticosteroids, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgery.Risk factors for arthritis
Risk factors for arthritis that cannot be controlled include age, gender, and genetics. As people age their chances of suffering from arthritis increases. This is clear in the prevalence of arthritis by age. As of 2019-2021, around 47 percent of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older had been diagnosed with arthritis, compared to just five percent of those aged 18 to 44 years. Furthermore, although it is still unclear exactly why, women are also at a higher risk of developing most types of arthritis. For example, 21 percent of adult women in the United States suffer from arthritis compared to 16 percent of men. Risk factors for arthritis that can be controlled include being overweight, joint injuries, and smoking. Those who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop arthritis, especially in the hips and knees, as extra weight puts additional stress on these joints. It is estimated that around 25 percent of obese adults in the United States have arthritis, compared to 15 percent of those who are underweight or of healthy weight.
