Prevalence of Diagnosed Arthritis - United States, 2019-2021

Abstract

Arthritis includes approximately 100 conditions that affect the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a leading cause of activity limitations, disability, and chronic pain, and is associated with dispensed opioid prescriptions, substantially contributing to health care costs. Combined 2019-2021 National Health Interview Survey data were analyzed to update national prevalence estimates of self-reported diagnosed arthritis. An estimated 21.2% (18.7% age-standardized) of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years (53.2 million) had diagnosed arthritis during this time frame. Age-standardized arthritis prevalences were higher among women (20.9%) than men (16.3%), among veterans (24.2%) than nonveterans (18.5%), and among non-Hispanic White (20.1%) than among Hispanic or Latino (14.7%) or non-Hispanic Asian adults (10.3%). Adults aged ≥45 years represent 88.3% of all U.S. adults with arthritis. Unadjusted arthritis prevalence was high among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (57.6%), dementia (55.9%), a disability (54.8%), stroke (52.6%), heart disease (51.5%), diabetes (43.1%), or cancer (43.1%). Approximately one half of adults aged ≥65 years with COPD, dementia, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, or cancer also had a diagnosis of arthritis. These prevalence estimates can be used to guide public health policies and activities to increase equitable access to physical activity opportunities within the built environment and other arthritis-appropriate, evidence-based interventions.

FIGURE

Prevalence^,† of diagnosed arthritis among adults aged ≥18 years with selected chronic conditions,^, by age group — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2019–2021 Abbreviations: BMI = body mass index; COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. * Calculated using sampling weights to produce nationally representative prevalence estimates. 95% CIs indicated by error bars. ^† The estimate for dementia (18–44 years) is suppressed based on the data presentation standards for proportions. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_02/sr02_175.pdf ^§ Responded “yes” to the question, “Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia?” ^¶ Respondents were considered as having the following chronic diseases if they answered “yes” to “Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you have or had…” 1) heart disease: coronary heart disease, angina (angina pectoris), or heart attack (myocardial infarction); 2) cancer: cancer or a malignancy of any kind (excluding skin cancer); 3) dementia: dementia, including Alzheimer disease; 4) COPD, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis, 5) stroke, or 6) diabetes. ** Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI [weight (kg)/(height [m])²].