Arthritis by the numbers: 50 million+ Americans live with it

May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. How many people are living with this condition? 53 million Americans and counting. Various forms of arthritis – including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus and fibromyalgia – are all on the rise, according to the CDC.

arthritis awareness month

Let’s look at some other facts and stats about arthritis, courtesy of the Arthritis Foundation:

  • 67 million – the estimated number of Americans who’ll be living with arthritis by 2030
  • 300,000 – the number of babies, kids and teens living with arthritis or a rheumatic condition today
  • Nearly 1 million – the number of hospitalizations each year due to arthritis
  • 172 million – the combined number of work days people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis miss every year
  • $156 billion – the annual cost of arthritis in terms of lost wages and medical expenses
  • # 1 – arthritis is the nation’s top cause of disability

arthritis awareness month

Arthritis experts are also concerned that more than half of people with arthritis are also living with heart disease or diabetes, and they typically have worse outcomes because of activity limitations.

Who’s tracking arthritis and related conditions on PatientsLikeMe?

 

Connect with people living with these conditions in the Muscle, Bones and Joints Forum and the Immune, Inflammatory and Infections Forum.

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