53.2 Million with Diagnosed Arthritis (USA: 2019–2021) Save

This week the CDC's MMWR reports that during 2019–2021, 21.2% of U.S. adults (53.2 million) reported "diagnosed arthritis". And that over half (52.2%–62.4%) of adults with self-reported dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, or cancer also report having been diagnosed with arthritis.

Combined 2019–2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data were analyzed to update national prevalence estimates of self-reported diagnosed arthritis. An estimated 21.2% of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years (53.2 million) had diagnosed arthritis. Age-standardized prevalence of arthritis 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.

Adults with comorbidities had higher rates of diagnosed arthritis, especially for those with 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.

"Diagnosed arthritis" was based on in home or telephone surveys and the question, “Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health care professional that you have arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia?” Survey respondents answering “yes” or “no” to this item were included in the analytic sample.  During July 2020–April 2021, interviews were attempted by telephone first, with in-home follow-up to complete data collection. In May 2021, data collection returned to prepandemic procedures.

The 2019–2021 NHIS prevalence estimate is lower than the 2016–2018 NHIS prevalence estimate (58.5 million; 23.7%), and could be due to a redesigned NHIS survey in 2019 or the pandemic influence in 2020 and 2021.