Arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation will remain large and growing problems for clinical and public health systems, which must plan and create policies and resources to address these future needs, according to a recent study. Researchers obtained baseline prevalence data on arthritis from the 2010-2012 National Health Interview Survey, with the aim of updating the projected prevalence of arthritis and arthritis-related activity limitations among US adults. They found:

• From 2010 to 2012, 52.5 million adults in the US (22.7% of all adults) had doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and 22.7 million (9.8%) had arthritis-attributable activity limitation.

• By 2040, the number of US adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis is projected to increase 49% to 78.4 million (25.9% of all adults), and the number of adults with arthritis-attributable activity limitation will increase 52% to 34.6 million (11.4% of all adults).

Citation: Hootman JM, Helmick CG, Barbour KE, Theis KA, Boring MA. Updated projected prevalence of self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation among US adults, 2015-2040. [Published online ahead of print June 24, 2016]. Arthritis Rheumatol. doi:10.1002/art.39692.