Arthritis is a leading cause of disability in the United States.
Almost 59 million U.S. adults have arthritis, and almost 26 million are unable to perform everyday activities because of arthritis, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Arthritis is the second-largest driver of employee health care costs. It is responsible for 172 million lost workdays and $304 billion in medical costs and lost earnings each year, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
For example, for employees with rheumatoid arthritis, medical and pharmaceutical costs averaged about $7,500 more per year than for those without rheumatoid arthritis, according to a 2018 report from the Integrated Benefits Institute. Additionally, employees with rheumatoid arthritis used an average of two more sick days per year than those without rheumatoid arthritis.
"The impact of arthritis on productivity in the workplace cannot be overstated," said Clarice Holmes, senior director of clinical knowledge management at NantHealth, a Morrisville, N.C.-based company focused on health care technology and data. "Arthritis can lead to inconsistent efficiency for the worker due to pain."
Effective Strategies
Because employees spend so much time working, employers' policies can have a big impact on their arthritis symptoms.
Benefits geared toward helping employees with arthritis include:
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