The burden of osteoarthritis: the societal and the patient perspective

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder in the world, and occurs frequently in elderly individuals, with pain being the most prominent symptom in most people with arthri­ tis [1–4]. Therefore, OA causes impaired qual­ ity of life [5]. Musculoskeletal diseases, includ­ ing OA, are very common and were a driving force for the initiation of the ‘Bone and Joint Decade’ [6]. OA is a chronic joint condition, characterized by loss of articular cartilage and new bone formation. It has been considered a disease of the joint, but, recently, more attention has been focussed on the involvement of the joint environment [7]. The burden of OA on society can be described by addressing occurrence and economic conse­ quences. Methods for measuring the impact of the disease on the individual include clinical manifestations, outcome measures and demon­ stration of OA by imaging modalities. The objective of this article is to describe the burden of OA on society and the individual.