Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases Statistics

The following statistics are from the CDC, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, and the Arthritis Foundation:

• Nearly 50 million people in the U.S. report having some form of arthritis that has been diagnosed by a doctor.

• By 2030, 67 million Americans are anticipated to have arthritis. 

• One in 20 U.S. workers face limitations due to arthritis.

• Approximately 27 million adults in the United States have the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease. Most persons over the age of 65 are affected with osteoarthritis in at least one joint, making this condition a leading cause of disability in the U.S.

• Rheumatoid arthritis, the most crippling form of arthritis, affects approximately 1.3 million Americans. Further, the average onset for rheumatoid arthritis in women is between the ages of 30 and 60 years old.

• Lupus affects women more often than men.

• Fibromyalgia affects about five million Americans.