摘要：Arthritis is highly prevalent and is the leading cause of disability among older adults in the United States owing to the aging of the population and increases in the prevalence of risk factors (e.g., obesity). Arthritis will play a large role in the health-related quality of life, functional independence, and disability of older adults in the upcoming decades. We have emphasized the role of the public health system in reducing the impact of this large and growing public health problem, and we have presented priority public health actions. Decreasing mortality rates combined with the entry of the large baby boomer generation into age groups at higher risk means that there will be many more older adults living more years with chronic conditions than ever before. Chronic musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis, are among the most common chronic diseases that affect millions of American adults. They are also disabling: among the 47.5 million US adults who have a disability, 1 8.6 million report arthritis and rheumatism and 7.6 million report back or spine problems as the main cause of their disability ( Figure 1 ). Because of the aging of the population and increases in risk factors (e.g., obesity), these conditions will likely play a large role in the health-related quality of life and disability of older adults in the upcoming decades. Open in a separate window FIGURE 1— Most common causes of disability among US adults 18 years and older: Survey of Income and Program Participation, 2005. Source . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.1 We have provided a state-of-the-art perspective on arthritis as a prototypical musculoskeletal condition, emphasizing the role of the public health system in reducing the impact of this large and growing public health problem. We have provided examples from our 10-year experience with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Arthritis Program that may help in the development of a useful public health practice framework for addressing other chronic musculoskeletal conditions, such as osteoporosis and chronic back pain.
