Data & Statistics

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the primary tool for collecting data on arthritis in Virginia. The BRFSS is an ongoing, state-based, random-digit-dialed telephone survey of the civilian, non-institutionalized population age 18 years and older. The fourth year of data collection using the BRFSS occurred in 2003. The case definition for arthritis changed in 2002. Previously, an arthritis case was defined as someone who had doctor-diagnosed arthritis or chronic joint symptoms. Starting in 2002, an arthritis case is defined as doctor-diagnosed arthritis only. Those persons with chronic joint symptoms are counted as possible arthritis. Focusing surveillance on persons with doctor-diagnosed arthritis allows the Arthritis Prevention and Education Program at the Virginia Department of Health to target those for whom it is more certain that the person has arthritis or other rheumatic conditions. Because of this change in case definition and the change in wording of some questions, comparisons cannot be made between 2000-01 and 2002 and later. In this report, data from 2002 and 2003 are combined for analysis purposes.

Key results from the BRFSS are:

• The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis is estimated to be 27.5%.
• Although doctor-diagnosed arthritis affects both genders, a greater percent of females (32.1%) than males (22.6%) have it.
• Although doctor-diagnosed arthritis affects people across the age span, prevalence is highest among those age 65 years and older, among whom 53.2% have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
• Non-Hispanic whites (31.0%) have the highest prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis, followed by non-Hispanic blacks (23.5%) and Hispanics (16.4%).

According to the latest annual report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, which profiles visits to all office-based doctors, the most frequent patient diagnoses in 2002 were:  hypertension, common cold, sore throat, diabetes, arthritis and joint disorders.

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