One in six millennials are expected to be living with arthritis-related pain and disability by 2040 while still working age, a report from Arthritis Australia suggests.
Millenials – sometimes called Gen Y – are people born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s, and are predicted to account for a high proportion of Australia’s rising arthritis burden over the next two decades.
Researchers at Monash University’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine forecast a 31% increase on current national figures for arthritis cases, taking into account population and age increases, which equates to an estimated 5.4 million people living with arthritis in 2040.
This means an average of around 85,000 new cases of arthritis will occur annually, mostly made up of osteoarthritis (OA), but with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cases expected to jump 33% by 2040 or over 12,400 new cases on average, per year, according to the report [link here].
Over two million people with arthritis by 2040 will be of working age, with millennials, currently aged 28-43, likely to be significantly impacted, particularly in active or standing roles such as teachers, construction workers, nurses and carers.
Australia’s annual direct healthcare expenditure on arthritis currently exceeds $5.3 billion, compared with $3.4 billion on diabetes and $2.5 billion on coronary heart disease.
The researchers predicted that without intervention, the figure for arthritis could surpass $7.8 billion by 2040, excluding wider economic costs, such as arthritis-induced early retirements, which currently cost the government over $1.1 billion annually in welfare and lost tax revenue, and $7.2 billion in lost GDP.
Prevalence by gender shows women will be affected most; OA is projected to be nearly 80% higher among woman than men, with women also far more likely to experience RA and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), said the Melbourne researchers, including leading rheumatologist Professor Rachelle Buchbinder.
“The forecast rising tide of arthritis cases, especially among millennials and women, compels us to rethink our approach to arthritis prevention and management for the generations who stand on the precipice of this escalating health challenge,” said Arthritis Australia CEO Jonathan Smithers in a statement.
“As we look towards 2040, it’s clear the economic and workforce implications of the growing arthritis epidemic could be profound and hit some Australians particularly hard.
“Research will be vital in improving prevention and cost-effective treatments. We must support Australia’s world leading researchers to make much needed breakthroughs, and ensure we don’t lose the next generation of researchers through underfunding.”
Arthritis Australia put forward strategies to address the challenges posed by the report, which included a major Medical Research Future Fund investment into arthritis and musculoskeletal research, funding allied health and multidisciplinary models of care and promoting inclusive policies in workplaces and other settings.