Impact of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions on the health-care system--United States, 1997.

Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions are the leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting approximately 43 million persons and costing $65 billion in 1992. By 2020, these numbers will increase as the population ages. This report examines several measures of the impact of arthritis on the U.S. health-care system; the findings indicate that arthritis and other rheumatic conditions have a large impact on hospitalizations, ambulatory-care visits, and home health care, with women accounting for most of this impact and all persons aged <65 years accounting for a substantial portion.