Adults who have never seen a health-care provider for chronic joint symptoms--United States, 2001.

Arthritis and chronic joint symptoms (CJS) are a leading cause of disability among adults in the United States. For some forms of arthritis, early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are essential to limit permanent joint damage and disability. Because CJS can signal inflammatory arthritis, patients with CJS should consult a health-care provider to rule out rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis. To characterize persons with CJS who do not see a health-care provider, CDC analyzed data from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This report summarizes the results of the analysis, which indicate that, during 2001, approximately 10.3 million adults (21.7% of adults with CJS), including 2.0 million with activity limitations, never had seen a health-care provider for their joint symptoms. These persons are missing opportunities to limit joint damage and disability and to improve health and functional status.