What question did this study set out to answer?

To update osteoarthritis-related mortality patterns among the elderly in the U.S.

April 30, 2026Open Access

Trends in osteoarthritis mortality among the elderly in the U.S. from 1999 to 2023

QFQifan FengShanxi Medical University RXRuoxue XuShanxi Medical University XTXinchuan TianShanxi Medical University

Key Points

To update osteoarthritis-related mortality patterns among the elderly in the U.S.
Analyzed data from the CDC WONDER database from 1999 to 2023
Evaluated age-adjusted mortality rates of osteoarthritis in adults aged ≥65 years
Included a sample of 16,011 OA-related deaths
Overall age-adjusted mortality rate fell from 2.40 in 1999 to 0.59 in 2023
Higher mortality rates observed in older women, especially those aged ≥85
Disproportionate high mortality burdens persist among specific groups despite overall decline

Abstract

In the U.S., osteoarthritis (OA) is a common contributor to disabilities, accompanied by a heightened risk of mortality. The primary aim of the study is to update the OA-related mortality patterns in the U.S. We leveraged data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database from 1999 to 2023 to evaluate age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) of OA among adults aged ≥65 years in the U.S. Among the 16,011 OA-related deaths, the overall AAMR fell markedly from 2.40 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.24, 2.57) in 1999 to 0.59 (95% CI: 0.52, 0.66) in 2023. Nevertheless, higher AAMRs were observed in older women, particularly those aged ≥85 years, non-Hispanic White individuals, and residents of the Midwest. For the past 25 years, disproportionate high mortality burdens have still existed among specific individuals despite a continuous decline in AAMRs.

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