Arthritis - Women

Arthritis - Women in United States

United States

Arthritis is a general term that describes over 100 conditions that result in inflammation or swelling of the joints, together affecting 58.5 million U.S. adults. 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 and reaching and grasping objects, 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. This includes the most common form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease also known as RA), which also significantly affects women more than men. By 2040, an estimated 78.4 million adults are projected to have arthritis, two-thirds of whom will be women.

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

Women who have never given birth and who do not breastfeed have an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Other risk factors for arthritis include having obesity or overweight, having a history of joint injury or infection, smoking and performing a job that requires a lot of repetitive bending or squatting.

The prevalence of arthritis is higher among: 

• Women ages 35-44 compared with those ages 18-34. 
• Women with some post-high school education compared with college graduates and those with less than a high school education. 
• American Indian/Alaska Native and multiracial women compared with Asian, Hispanic, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Black women.
• Women with an annual household income less than $25,000, who have a prevalence nearly twice that of those with an income of $75,000 or more; the prevalence was significantly higher with each decrease in income.
• Women living in non-metropolitan areas compared with those in metropolitan areas.

Strategies to reduce risk of arthritis include maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity and avoiding joint injuries. For those with arthritis, participating in physical activity can alleviate joint pain and improve their quality of life. Joint-friendly exercises include walking, biking and swimming. 

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

Arthritis-related Healthy People 2030 objectives include: 

• Reducing the proportion of people with arthritis who have moderate or severe joint pain. 
• Reducing the proportion of adults with arthritis whose arthritis limits their work. 
• Reducing the proportion of adults with arthritis 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., 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.