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The individual and socioeconomic impact of osteoarthritis

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 10, pages 437–441 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent, disabling disease, with a commensurate tremendous individual and socioeconomic burden. This Perspectives article focuses on the burden of OA for the individual, the health-care system and society, to draw attention to the magnitude of the current problem with some reference to projected figures. We have an urgent opportunity to make fundamental changes to the way we care for individuals with OA that will have an effect upon the direct and indirect costs of this disease. By focusing on the burden of this prevalent, disabling, and costly disease, we hope to highlight the opportunity for shifts in health-care policy towards prevention and chronic-disease management.

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Figure 1: The disease burden of OA.
Figure 2: Ranking of burden of disease by YLDs in 1990 and 2010.
Figure 3: Distribution of direct costs of OA by type.
Figure 4: Distribution of indirect costs for OA by type.

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Acknowledgements

D.J.H.'s work is funded by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT0991246). The comments and editorial expressed in this article represent those of the authors and do not reflect those of any official scientific role or institution that the authors may hold or be affiliated with.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, Reserve Road, St Leonards, 2065, NSW, Australia

    David J. Hunter

  2. NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, 92–94 Parramatta Road, Camperdown, 2050, NSW, Australia

    Deborah Schofield & Emily Callander

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Contributions

D.J.H. and E.C. researched data for the article, and D.J.H., D.S. and E.C. made substantial contributions to discussion of the content, writing, and review/editing of the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to David J. Hunter.

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Hunter, D., Schofield, D. & Callander, E. The individual and socioeconomic impact of osteoarthritis. Nat Rev Rheumatol 10, 437–441 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2014.44

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