Arthritis/rheumatism prevalence: by age and sex, GB, 2003
The prevalence of arthritis and rheumatism is higher in women than in men and also increases with age in both sexes. In 2003 the rates for men and women in GB were less than 25 per 1,000 population up to age 44. After that there was a rapid increase in prevalence, with rates increasing sixfold to age 64. The rates for women then rose more sharply than for men: among those aged 65-74, the prevalence rate for women was twice that for men (227 per 1,000 compared with 113).
The two most common forms of the disease are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis, sometimes called degenerative joint disease, is uncommon in people under 40 and increases with age thereafter. Other risk factors include being overweight and having an injury, operation or repeated strain on a joint. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system starts attacking the joints and sometimes other parts of the body. People of all ages can have the condition, but it most commonly starts between the ages of 30 and 50. There are a variety of treatments available for arthritis including medication (for example non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying drugs), physiotherapy and surgery.
Migraine prevalence: by age and sex in England & Wales, 1991/92
Migraine prevalence varies dramatically between the sexes. In 1991/92 the illness was some three or four times more common in women than in men in all age groups between 16 and 54 in England and Wales. This female preponderance is commonly assumed to be associated with fluctuating hormonal levels during the female menstrual cycle. Rates were around 25 per 1,000 population for all age groups between 16 and 54. Beyond this age the rate falls gradually from 13 per 1,000 for women aged 55-64, to 4 per 1,000 for the oldest age group. The male rate is relatively stable and less than 7 per 1,000 population throughout the life span.
The condition can have a very disruptive effect on the lives of sufferers because severe episodes can last as long as three days, during which the person is unable to carry out any of the activities of daily life. Measures of health-related quality of life have been found to be worse for migraine sufferers than for people with asthma. One in three sufferers believe that the condition controls their life.
Sources: General Household Survey, Office for National Statistics Fourth National Morbidity Study from General Practice 1991/92, Office for National Statistics
Notes: The prevalence rates for arthritis reported here are based on respondents coded into the General Household Survey category 'arthritis/rheumatism' and thus are a proxy for arthritis. All forms of arthritis will be included if the symptoms are sufficiently severe to have troubled the informant over a period of time.
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