Cross-sectional study using 2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to estimate the prevalence of moderate to severe joint pain among US adults with diagnosed arthritis, stratified by sociodemographic and health factors, and compared to 2019 data to assess progress toward the Healthy People 2030 target of ≤52.4%.
58.5% of US adults with diagnosed arthritis (30.8 million) reported moderate to severe joint pain in 2023 — well above the Healthy People 2030 target. Highest rates were seen in those with disability (77.1%), depressive disorder symptoms (76.1%), anxiety disorder symptoms (73.9%), fair/poor self-rated health (72.9%), COPD (72.4%), and cancer (71.7%). No significant improvement from 2019 (56.8%) to 2023 (58.2%; p=0.46).
- Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference or trend attribution. - Arthritis diagnosis and joint pain severity rely on self-report, introducing misclassification risk. - The study does not distinguish between arthritis subtypes (e.g., osteoarthritis vs. rheumatoid arthritis), limiting clinical specificity.
More than half of arthritis patients in the US still live with moderate to severe joint pain, and rates are not improving — clinicians should proactively screen for comorbid depression, anxiety, and disability, as these groups carry the highest pain burden. Deploying evidence-based interventions (e.g., physical activity programs, self-management education) in these high-risk subgroups may be the most impactful lever available.
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