Community Data
Arthritis
Quick Facts:
- About 25% of adults in the US have been diagnosed with arthritis.
- Arthritis is more common among obese adults. Almost 1 in 3 adults who are obese have also been diagnosed with arthritis.
- One-third of United States military veterans live with arthritis.
Arthritis in Our Community:
Darker colors on the interactive maps indicate worse outcomes.
In 2018, there were about 23.7% of Taylor County adults over the age of 18 who reported having arthritis. This was slightly higher than the percentage of adults in Texas who reported having arthritis (21.3%) in 2018. In 2019, the percentage of adults in Taylor County with arthritis decreased to 21.7%. The percentage of adults in Texas with arthritis also decreased to 20.7%. Within Taylor County, the zip codes with the highest rates of arthritis among adults were 79566 (32.5%) and 79561 (29.3%). The Taylor County zip codes with the lowest rates of arthritis were 79607 (7.1%) and 79601 (19.3%).
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is an umbrella-term for a group of diseases that refers to joint pain or joint disease. Arthritis can and does affect people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and genders, and is the most common cause of disability in the US. Some symptoms of arthritis include joint swelling, joint pain, stiffness, fatigue, and permanent joint damage over time. The pain and stiffness associated with arthritis can make it difficult to accomplish daily tasks like walking, climbing stairs, or holding small objects. There is no current cure for arthritis, but there are management methods, including medications, for many types of arthritis that can decrease the frequency and severity of attacks.
Click for Data Sources
- Arthritis Foundation. (2020). Arthritis By The Numbers: Book of Trusted Facts & Figures 2020. Arthritis Foundation. Accessed June 23, 2022 from https://www.arthritis.org/getmedia/73a9f02d-7f91-4084-91c3-0ed0b11c5814/ABTN-2020-FINAL.pdf
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, October 12). National Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed June 23, 2022 from https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/national-statistics.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, October 12). Disabilities and Limitations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed June 23, 2022 from https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/disabilities-limitations.htm
- Texas Department of State Health Services. (n.d.). Health of Texas: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Texas.gov. Accessed June 23, 2022 from https://healthdata.dshs.texas.gov/dashboard/surveys-and-profiles/behavioral-risk-factor-surveillance-system
- CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. PLACES: County Data (GIS Friendly), 2021 release. https://chronicdata.cdc.gov/500-Cities-Places/PLACES-County-Data-GIS-Friendly-Format-2021-releas/i46a-9kgh
- CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. PLACES: County Data (GIS Friendly), 2020 release. https://chronicdata.cdc.gov/500-Cities-Places/PLACES-County-Data-GIS-Friendly-Format-2020-releas/mssc-ksj7
- CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. PLACES: ZCTA Data (GIS Friendly), 2021 release. https://chronicdata.cdc.gov/500-Cities-Places/PLACES-ZCTA-Data-GIS-Friendly-Format-2021-release/kee5-23sr
