Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable effects among Hispanic adults, by Hispanic subgroup--United States, 2002, 2003, 2006, and 2009.

Arthritis affects approximately 50 million adults in the United States, making it one of the most prevalent health conditions among U.S. adults and the most common cause of disability. Arthritis is associated with substantial activity limitation, work disability, increased prevalence of obesity, reduced quality of life, and high health-care costs. Among U.S. adults, the prevalence of arthritis and arthritis-attributable effects (e.g., arthritis-attributable activity limitations [AAAL]) varies among racial/ethnic groups; non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks have a higher prevalence of doctor- diagnosed arthritis compared with Hispanics, but Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks have a higher prevalence of arthritis-attributable effects compared with non-Hispanic whites. The prevalence of arthritis and its effects among specific Hispanic subgroups has not been studied in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. To determine the annualized prevalence of arthritis and arthritis-attributable effects among Hispanic subgroups, CDC analyzed National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for 2002, 2003, 2006, and 2009 combined. This report describes the results of that analysis, which indicated that the age-adjusted prevalence of arthritis ranged from 11.7% among Cubans/Cuban Americans to 21.8% among Puerto Ricans; an estimated 3.1 million Hispanics had arthritis during these years. Among all subgroups of Hispanics with arthritis, at least 20% of persons with arthritis reported an arthritis-attributable effect: AAAL (range: 21.1% among Cubans/Cuban Americans to 48.5% among Puerto Ricans); arthritis-attributable work limitations (AAWL) (range: 32.9% among Central/South Americans to 41.6% among Mexican Americans); and severe joint pain (SJP) (range: 23.7% among Cubans/Cuban Americans to 44.1% among Puerto Ricans). These findings identify Hispanic subgroups with high burdens of arthritis who likely are in need of interventions designed to improve their quality of life.