Government and public statistics
Prevalence of Diagnosed Arthritis, United States, 2019-2021
Elizabeth A. Fallon et al., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2023 · DOI 10.15585/mmwr.mm7241a1
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A CDC report that pooled the 2019 to 2021 National Health Interview Survey to update how many U.S. adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis, with breakdowns by sex, age, veteran status and other conditions.
- How much weight it carries
- An official CDC analysis of a large national survey. Arthritis is self-reported (told by a doctor), and the definition includes rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus and fibromyalgia, so it is broader than hand arthritis alone.
Facts taken from this source
- During 2019 to 2021, 21.2% of U.S. adults, about 53.2 million people, reported having been diagnosed with arthritis.
“During 2019-2021, 21.2% of U.S. adults (53.2 million) reported diagnosed arthritis.” (Summary, What is added by this report?)