Arthritis - Women in United States

United States

Arthritis is a general term that describes over 100 conditions that cause inflammation or swelling of the joints, affecting 58.5 million American adults in 2016-2018. More than a quarter of adults with arthritis experience severe chronic joint pain. Many adults with arthritis also experience limitations in daily activities such as walking, standing, sitting, reaching and gripping, making arthritis a leading cause of workplace disability. Common symptoms of arthritis include pain, redness, heat or swelling of the joints, trouble moving around, and rash or itch.

Arthritis is more prevalent among women than men. The most common form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease also known as RA), is more than twice as common in women. By 2040, projections estimate 78.4 million adults in the United States will be living with arthritis, two-thirds of them women.

In 2013, the total cost of arthritis to the U.S. was $303.5 billion, including medical care costs and lost earnings attributable to arthritis.

Risk factors for arthritis include smoking, having obesity or being overweight, having a history of joint injury or infection and performing a job that requires a lot of repetitive bending or squatting.

According to America’s Health Rankings data, the prevalence of arthritis is higher among: 

• Women ages 35-44, who have a prevalence 4.1 times higher than those ages 18-24 and 25-34. 
• Women with some post-high school education compared with college graduates. 
• Multiracial, white, American Indian/Alaska Native, other race and Black women compared with Asian and Hispanic women.
• Women with an annual household income less than $25,000, who have a prevalence twice that of those with an income of $75,000 or more.
• Women living in non-metropolitan areas compared with those in metropolitan areas.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women who have never given birth may be at increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis and women who breastfeed their infant appear to have a decreased risk.

Strategies to reduce the risk of arthritis include maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity and protecting yourself from joint injuries. For those with arthritis, participating in physical activity can alleviate joint pain and improve quality of life. Low-impact exercises that are easy on the joints include walking, biking and swimming. 

Common treatments for adults with arthritis include medications that can slow the progression of the disease, as well as treatments for pain. Non-medication pain management tools and strategies include massage, acupuncture and chiropractic care. Joint replacement surgery is also an option for some when other treatments have been unsuccessful.

Healthy People 2030 has several objectives related to arthritis, including:

• Reducing the proportion of adults with arthritis who have moderate or severe joint pain.
• Reducing the proportion of adults whose arthritis limits their activities.
• Increasing the proportion of adults with arthritis who receive counseling for physical activity.

Barbour, Kamil E., Michael Boring, Charles G. Helmick, Louise B. Murphy, and Jin Qin. 2016. “Prevalence of Severe Joint Pain Among Adults with Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis — United States, 2002–2014.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 65 (39): 1052–56. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6539a2.

Barbour, Kamil E., Charles G. Helmick, Michael Boring, and Teresa J. Brady. 2017. “Vital Signs: Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation — United States, 2013–2015.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 66 (9): 246–53. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1.

Chen, Haiyan, Jing Wang, Wang Zhou, Huabin Yin, and Meimei Wang. 2015. “Breastfeeding and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis.” The Journal of Rheumatology 42 (9): 1563–69. https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.150195.

Hootman, Jennifer M., Charles G. Helmick, Kamil E. Barbour, Kristina A. Theis, and Michael A. Boring. 2016. “Updated Projected Prevalence of Self-Reported Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation Among US Adults, 2015-2040.” Arthritis & Rheumatology 68 (7): 1582–87. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.39692.

Murphy, Louise B., Miriam G. Cisternas, David J. Pasta, Charles G. Helmick, and Edward H. Yelin. 2018. “Medical Expenditures and Earnings Losses Among US Adults With Arthritis in 2013.” Arthritis Care & Research 70 (6): 869–76. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.23425.

Theis, Kristina A., Louise B. Murphy, Dana Guglielmo, Michael A. Boring, Catherine A. Okoro, Lindsey M. Duca, and Charles G. Helmick. 2021. “Prevalence of Arthritis and Arthritis-Attributable Activity Limitation — United States, 2016–2018.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 70 (40): 1401–7. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7040a2.

Theis, Kristina A., Douglas W. Roblin, Charles G. Helmick, and Ruiyan Luo. 2018. “Prevalence and Causes of Work Disability among Working-Age U.S. Adults, 2011–2013, NHIS.” Disability and Health Journal 11 (1): 108–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2017.04.010.