NEW DELHI: A whopping over 195 million Indians, or one in six, suffer from arthritis-related pains, with women accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total burden, according to a latest study.
The study, conducted under the WHO-Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (WHO-COPCORD), found that arthritis pains were the most common self-reported illness in Indian communities, surpassing diabetes and hypertension.
The survey, which covered more than 56,000 people across rural and urban India, further showed that more than 54.44 million Indians live with osteoarthritis, often linked with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, while 4.22 million suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a crippling condition that can lead to several systemic complications, severe disability and even premature heart attacks and death.
Particularly concerning was that over 1.17 million young women of reproductive age are estimated to be living with RA, a prevalence significantly higher than global averages, said the survey, published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Speaking at a one-day national meeting to spotlight one of India’s most pressing but neglected health concerns, arthritis, Dr Arvind Chopra, Director and Chief Rheumatologist at CRD Pune and principal investigator of the COPCORD India Project since 1996, said, “Arthritis is often dismissed as an inevitable part of ageing, but our data proves otherwise. Lifestyle, and metabolic factors like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are fuelling this epidemic.”
There are several other risk factors like infections, tobacco use and injuries that are amenable to prevention and control, he said at the event, jointly organised by the Department of Rheumatology, AIIMS, Delhi, and the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases (CRD), Pune.
“Arthritis is a leading non-communicable disease. It erodes quality of life, productivity, and even lifespan, yet India has no national program dedicated to arthritis. This is no longer just a medical issue, it's a public health emergency,” he further added.
Dr Chopra said that arthritis must be recognised as a national health priority. “We urgently need the Ministry of Health, AYUSH, and professional associations to come together and launch awareness campaigns, invest in training more rheumatologists, and ensure early diagnosis at the primary care level,” he added.
Prof. Aman Sharma, the President Elect of the Indian Rheumatology Association, said the crying need is to provide suitable arthritis education to primary care providers who manage the bulk of illnesses in the community.
“Symptoms and clinical signs that are a warning for pending severe arthritis must be identified and lead to an early diagnosis and remedial treatment,” he added.
The COPCORD Project was launched by the World Health Organisation-International League of Associations for Rheumatology (WHO-ILAR) to measure the burden of pain, arthritis and disability in the community with the aim to improve musculoskeletal health through health education, and preventive and control medical strategy.