4-2

4-2. Arthritis prevalence

In 2017, around a quarter (22.8%) of South Australians aged 18 years or more were living with arthritis¹.
The rate varies between local health networks (LHNs) from 15.4% in the Riverland Mallee Coorong LHN to 28.2% in the Northern Adelaide LHN.
There is no statistically significant difference between the Country SA rate of 23.0% and the metropolitan Adelaide rate of 22.7%¹.
No statistically significant underlying trend over the last decade in the proportion of people reporting living with arthritis was identified in the metropolitan Adelaide or Country SA time series¹.

4-2-1

Data source: SA Health 2018

In 2017, the proportion of the population aged 18 years and over that was living with arthritis was higher for females (27.8%) than males (17.6%)¹.
Arthritis prevalence is also correlated with age¹.

4-2-2

Data source: SA Health 2018

In 2017, there was no statistically significant correlation between the proportion of people aged 18 years and over who are living with arthritis and the socio-economic status (SES) of the geographic area in which they live¹.
However, the rate in the lowest SES quintile (26.9%) is around double the rate in the highest SES quintile (14.2%)¹.

4-2-3

Data source: SA Health 2018

Data presented here is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2017-18 National Health Survey for people of all ages reporting living with arthritis. This is not directly comparable with data presented from the state-wide survey for ages 18 years and over in 4-2-1 to 4-2-3 above.
The national survey reports that an estimated 14.5% (age standardised) of the population in South Australia is living with arthritis².
The South Australian rate is a little higher than the Australian average (13.3%, age standardised) and is ranked third highest of the states and territories².

**Arthritis prevalence (all ages), 2017–18 (age-standardised)**
State/Territory	%
Northern Territory	10.4%
Western Australia	11.9%
Queensland	12.4%
New South Wales	13.3%
Victoria	14.0%
South Australia	14.5%
Australian Capital Territory	14.7%
Tasmania	16.0%
Australia	13.3%

4-2-4

Data source: ABS 2018

The 11.2% of Aboriginal people in South Australia who reported living with arthritis in 2018-19 is above the national average for Aboriginal people of 10.5%³.
Arthritis prevalence for Aboriginal people is 3.3 percentage points below the 14.5% (age standardised) all-person rate estimated for 2017-18 (see 4-2-4 above)².

**Arthritis prevalence - Aboriginal people (all ages), 2018-19 (crude rates)**
State/Territory	%
Northern Territory	4.4%
Western Australia	7.5%
Queensland	9.1%
South Australia	11.2%
Australian Capital Territory	11.7%
Victoria	11.8%
New South Wales	13.2%
Tasmania	18.8%
Australia	10.5%

4-2-5

Data source: ABS 2019

Based on South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System customised extract 2018, Prevention and Population Health, SA Health, Adelaide, 16 August 2018.
Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS 2018), ‘Table 2.3 Summary health characteristics — States and territories, Proportion of persons’, National Health Survey: First Results, 2017-18, cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, 12 December 2018.
Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS 2019), 'Table 3.3 Selected health characteristics, by State/Territory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2018–19, Proportion of persons,' National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, 2018-19, cat. no. 4715.0, 11 December 2019.