US Pharm. 2007;32(5):16.

Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions are among the most common chronic diseases and represent the leading cause of disability among adults. The prevalence of arthritis increases with age, impacting 60% of the population ages 65 and older. Due to improved identification and treatment of chronic diseases and the lower mortality rate from infectious diseases, adults in the United States are living longer and the population is aging. As a result, the number of people living with nonfatal but disabling conditions, such as arthritis or chronic joint symptoms (CJS), is likely to increase. To estimate the projected future burden of arthritis or CJS among persons ages 65 and older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) applied data from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to projected national population data for the time period of 2005 to 2030. According to this report, if arthritis prevalence rates remain stable, the number of affected persons ages 65 and older will nearly double by 2030.

In 2001, 51.6% of males and 63.9% of females ages 65 and older were suffering from arthritis or CJS. From 2005 to 2030, the percentage of the U.S. population ages 65 and older is expected to increase from 12.9% to 20%. If sex-specific prevalence rates remain the same, the number of people projected to experience arthritis or CJS will nearly double, from 21.4 million in 2005 to 41.1 million in 2030. The rate of persons ages 65 and older to suffer from arthritis or CJS is estimated to have a median prevalence rate of 56.5%, with a range from 34.8% to 70.3% and a mean of 60%. Thus, in regard to the aging population, arthritis could substantially contribute to disability, poor health-related quality of life, and increased direct and indirect medical costs.

Proven public interventions should continue to be applied, and new interventions are being developed to improve function, decrease pain, and delay disability among individuals with arthritis. To maximize the benefit of these interventions and to decrease the impact of arthritis on society, programmatic interventions should be targeted specifically to those at highest risk for functional impairment and disability. Examples of such interventions include the Arthritis Foundation's PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) programs, as well as self-management education provided by numerous health care providers and other allied health professionals to noninstitutionalized persons. The CDC Web site provides information on government-funded programs.

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