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Older
adults with arthritis to double in US by 2030 Reuters
Health, May 29, 2003 NEW YORK - The number of older adults in the U.S. with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms is expected to nearly double to 41.1 million by 2030, according to a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This rise is impressive given the fact that such joint problems are already the leading cause of disability in the U.S., Dr. J. M. Hootman and colleagues note in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The numbers are expected to rise because U.S. adults are living longer, the population is aging in general, and chronic diseases are more likely to be diagnosed and treated. Currently, about 60 percent of the U.S. population 65 years of age or older has arthritis. To estimate the prevalence of arthritis among older adults in 2030, the researchers applied data from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a nationwide survey that included questions about joint symptoms, to projected population data. Chronic joint symptoms include pain, aching, stiffness or swelling of joints present on most days of the month. From 2005 to 2030, the percentage of the U.S. population made up of older adults is expected to increase from 13 percent to 20 percent, the report indicates. If current rates remain stable, the number of older adults with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms will increase from 21.4 million to 41.1 million during this period. Estimates through 2025 reveal dramatic differences in prevalence based on state residence. For example, 70 percent of adults 65 and older in Alabama were predicted to have arthritis or chronic joint symptoms in 2025, compared with only 35 percent of their peers in Hawaii. "Arthritis contributes substantially to disability, poor health-related quality of life, and increased direct and indirect medical costs," according to an accompanying editorial. "Decreasing this impact will require effective public health interventions that improve function, decrease pain, and delay disability among persons with arthritis." Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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