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Impact of Arthritis

Who’s Affected by Arthritis?

When someone mentions arthritis, most of us see images of an older woman hunched over a walker or an elderly gentleman leaning heavily on his cane, but the reality of arthritis is that it can affect people young and old, and almost half of all Americans over age 65 suffer from some form of arthritis.

The most common forms of arthritis—osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis—affect more women than men. And research has shown that there is a correlation between arthritis and other chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. In fact, due to rising obesity rates, longer life expectancy and an aging baby boomer population, the prevalence of arthritis is expected to significantly increase over the next 20 years.

U.S.

  • An estimated 50 million adults (about 1 in 5) report doctor-diagnosed arthritis.1
  • Among adults over age 65, the prevalence of arthritis is 48 percent.2
  • Rheumatoid arthritis affects 1.3 million Americans, 70 percent of which are women.2
  • Osteoarthritis affects 27 million Americans. It is more common in women than men in the 55+ age category.2
  • The lifetime risk of developing knee osteoarthritis serious enough to cause painful symptoms is 45 percent. The risk rises to 60 percent among obese people.1
  • More than half of U.S. adults with diabetes or heart disease also have arthritis.3
  • The number of adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis is projected to increase to 67 million by 2030, and more than one-third of these adults will have limited activity as a result.1

Canada

  • Close to 4.3 million Canadians have some type of arthritis, 42 percent of which are 65 or older.4
  • Osteoarthritis affects 10 percent of the population in Canada.5
  • By 2026, an estimated 6 million Canadians older than 15 will have arthritis – an increase due to rising obesity rates, longer life expectancy and an aging baby boomer population.5

Sources:

  1. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (2011)
  2. Arthritis Foundation (2011)
  3. CDC, Targeting Arthritis at a Glance (2007)
  4. Public Health Agency of Canada (2007-2008)
  5. The Arthritis Society of Canada (2008)

Individual Impact

Pain, stiffness and fatigue can turn a simple task like buying milk at the store into what seems like a marathon, or even an impossibility. Arthritis shoulders the blame for the long-lasting, debilitating joint pain and related symptoms afflicting millions of individuals, making it the leading cause of disability and one of the most widespread chronic health problems in the U.S. and Canada.

U.S.

  • Nearly 21 million U.S. adults report activity limitations because of arthritis each year.1
  • Among adults reporting a disability in 2005, the most commonly identified limitations were difficulty climbing a flight of stairs and walking three city blocks (a distance equivalent to walking from the parking lot to the back of a large store).1

Canada

  • More than 600,000 Canadians with arthritis are unable to work, making it the leading cause of disability in Canada.2
  • People with arthritis made almost double the number of visits to their doctors than did those without arthriti.2

Sources:

  1. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (2011)
  2. The Arthritis Society of Canada (2008)

Economic Burden

As the leading cause of disability and one of the most widespread chronic health problems in the U.S. and Canada, arthritis has a huge economic impact on society, demonstrating a need for cost-effective care and efforts to reduce disability.

U.S.

  • In 2003, the total cost of arthritis was $128 billion, including $81 billion in direct costs (medical) and $47 billion in indirect costs (lost earnings).1
  • Each year, arthritis results in 992,100 hospitalizations and 44 million outpatient visits.1

Canada

  • Arthritis costs over $17 billion annually in health care expenses and lost work days.2
  • The long-term disability of musculoskeletal conditions in Canada, including arthritis, accounted for 10.3 percent of the total economic burden of all illnesses, but only 1.3 percent of health science research.2

Sources:

  1. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (2011)
  2. The Arthritis Society of Canada (2008)

Options

While there is no cure for arthritis, the impacts of this disease can be somewhat off-set through the use of in home, non-medical care. Using a paid care provider, like CAREGiversSM employed by your local Home Instead Senior Care office, can help those people suffering by:

  • Helping with household activities to help avoid over-exertion, which can increase pain.
  • Monitoring medications to ensure pain medications are taken as directed.
  • Encouraging low impact exercise, such as walking or stretching.
  • Helping with transportation to and from doctor’s visits.
  • And more...

Visit our Home Care section to learn more about Home Instead’s arthritis care services.

 

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