Prevalence of joint-specific osteoarthritis and joint pain in British Columbia, Canada

The objective is to determine the prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed osteoarthritis (OA) and musculoskeletal symptoms (pain, stiffness or discomfort) in specific joints among adults in British Columbia (BC), Canada. We carried out a cross-sectional mixed-mode survey in a random population sample of persons 18 years of age and older. Estimates were weighted to reflect the age and sex distribution of the population of BC. We obtained responses from 2,233 individuals. Overall, 18.4% (95% CI 16.8–20.1) of the adult population reported OA. Of those, more than 40% had OA in multiple sites. Prevalence ranged from 8.8% (95% CI 7.6–10.1) in the knee to 2.7% (2.1–3.5) in the foot. One-year prevalence of symptoms ranged from 49.1% (47.0–51.2) in the lower back to 23.3% (21.5–25.1) in the hip. Females reported more symptoms and OA than males in all joints. The most common site of self-reported physician-diagnosed OA in BC is the knee, but OA in the hands, hips, and feet is also common. Having OA in one joint is a strong predictor of OA in other joints.