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PHOM Indicator Profile Report of Arthritis prevalence

Why Is This Important?

Arthritis affects 54 million adults (1 in every 4) in the United States and is projected to increase. Arthritis is a leading cause of disability and is associated with substantial activity limitation, work disability, and reduced quality of life. In 2021, the percentage of Utah adults aged 18 and older with arthritis was 21 percent (crude rate). This represents approximately 508,337 individuals based on the estimated Utah population 18 and older for 2021.

Prevalence of arthritis, Utah and U.S., 2011-2021

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confidence limits
Utah consistently has a lower prevalence of arthritis when compared to the United States.

Data Sources

  • Utah Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
  • Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data, US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Data Notes

Doctor-diagnosed arthritis was self-reported and was not confirmed by a health-care provider; however, such self-reports have been shown to be acceptable for surveillance purposes.   [[br]] [[br]]Age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population. Age-adjusted rates are based on 5 age groups: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, and 65+.

Risk Factors

The prevalence of arthritis increases with age. Females are more likely to report arthritis than males. White, non-Hispanic individuals are more likely to report arthritis than Hispanic persons. Being overweight or obese and smoking are also risk factors. Specific genes are associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), and ankylosing spondylitis. Other risk factors include joint injuries, infection, and occupations that involve repetitive knee bending and squatting.

How Are We Doing?

Roughly one in every five Utah adults reported having arthritis over the past several years. As people age, the likelihood of having arthritis increases. For example, 5.8 percent of adults aged 18-34 reported having arthritis whereas one in every two (51.8 percent) adults 65 years and older reported having arthritis (combined years 2019-2021). As the older adult population increases in the coming years, the prevalence of arthritis is also projected to increase. Women 65 years and older were the most likely to have arthritis with 57.8 percent reporting arthritis. This was significantly greater than the rate for men of the same age (46.7 percent). Women were more likely to have arthritis for all age groups. Other groups that were less likely to have arthritis included college graduates, Hispanics, and adults making more than $75,000 a year when compared to those with less education, non-Hispanics, and those making less than $75,000 a year, respectively. Arthritis prevalence also differed by geographic location. The age-adjusted prevalence of arthritis (combined years 2018-2020) in local health districts ranged from a low of 19.1 percent in Summit County Health District to a high of 32.1 percent in Southeast Utah Health District. Health districts with rates significantly lower than the state rate included Summit County and Wasatch County. Health districts with rates significantly higher than the state rate included Southeast Utah, Tooele County, Central Utah, Weber-Morgan, and TriCounty.

What Is Being Done?

The Healthy Aging Program focuses on measuring the occurrence of arthritis in Utah, increasing arthritis awareness and educational opportunities, and promoting participation in programs proven to help persons with arthritis, pain, and other chronic conditions. Additionally, the Healthy Aging Program supports health systems, clinics, and physicians using strategies and resources that support healthcare provider-patient counseling to increase physical activity and referrals to the evidence-based workshops and exercise classes [https://www.selfmanagementresource.com/programs/small-group/chronic-disease-self-management/ proven] to help patients improve their mental and physical health.

Healthy People Objective: Increase the proportion of adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis who have had effective, evidence-based arthritis education as an integral part of the management of their condition

U.S. Target: 11.7 percent
State Target: 12.1 percent

Date Indicator Content Last Updated: 01/04/2023


Other Views

The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services IBIS-PH web site (http://ibis.health.state.gov). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 3:20:57 from Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.gov ".

Content updated: Tue, 7 Feb 2023 08:42:46 MST