A new study reports that the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for U.S. adults with arthritis is much worse than for those without this condition. Both physical and mental health are affected by arthritis, which poses a significant health and economic burden as the number of those diagnosed continues to climb. Details of this study are now online in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Approximately, 50 million Americans have doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that with the aging U.S. population 67 million adults could be affected by 2030. Arthritis is also the most common cause of disability in the U.S.---limiting activity for 19 million individuals and inhibiting employment for nearly 8 million working-age Americans. According to prior studies, arthritis accounts for 44 million outpatient visits, roughly 1 million hospitalizations, and more than 8 billion in medical expenses and lost earnings in the U.S. annually.
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