About Arthritis
Did you know?   
  • The term arthritis (“arthro” meaning joint, “itis” meaning inflammation) is used to refer to more than 100 related conditions.
  • More than 10 per cent of Canadian adults are affected by OA, which is the most prevalent type of arthritis. 
  • Arthritis consists of more than 100 different condition which range from relatively mild forms of tendinitis and bursitis to crippling systemic forms, such as rheumatoid arthritis. It includes pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia and arthritis-related disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, that involve every part of the body. Other forms of the disease, such as gout, are almost never thought of as arthritis, while osteoarthritis is often thought to be the only form of this disease.
Arthritis Facts & Figures
 
Arthritis can strike anyone at anytime, regardless of age, physical condition or ethnic background, often with devastating and debilitating effects. Arthritis brings with it a burden of pain and disability that those living with this disease must face every day. The main symptoms of arthritis are chronic joint pain, stiffness and swelling, which can result in significant disability and poor quality of life.
 
There is no cure for arthritis.
 
Some important numbers to know:
4.6 million – Over 4.6 million Canadian adults (one in six Canadians aged 15 years and older) report having arthritis. By 2036, this number is expected to grow to an estimated 7.5 million Canadian adults (one in five).
$33 billion – The impact of arthritis on the Canadian economy in health-care costs and lost productivity is estimated to be $33 billion each year. By 2031, this number is expected to more than double to over $67 billion.
First – Among all causes of disability in Canada, arthritis ranks first among women and third among men.
2/3 – Two out of three Canadians affected by arthritis are women.
3/5 – Nearly three out of every five people with arthritis are of working age.
60 – Within a generation, there will be a new diagnosis of osteoarthritis in Canada every 60 seconds.