Overview

Musculoskeletal conditions are conditions of the bones, muscles and connective tissues. Common musculoskeletal conditions include various forms of arthritis, back pain and problems, osteoporosis and gout.

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Latest findings

1 in 5 Australians with arthritis experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress

3 in 4 Australians over 45 with arthritis have self-reported at least one other chronic condition

1 in 7 Australians have some form of arthritis

1 in 11 Australians (9.3%) have osteoarthritis, approximately 2.2 million people in 2017–18

People with osteoarthritis were twice as likely to describe their health as ‘poor’, among those aged 45 and over

3 in 5 people who have osteoarthritis are female

Highlights

1 in 5 Australians aged 75 and over reported osteoporosis or osteopenia (low bone density) in 2017–18
Men are more likely than women to have gout—almost 9 in 10 people with gout are men
3 out of 4 Australians aged 45 and over with arthritis report at least one other chronic condition
29% of Australians reported arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions in 2017–18, around 7.0 million people
2nd leading cause of overall disease burden in Australia in 2015 was back pain and problems
1 in 11 Australians reported osteoarthritis in 2017–18
1 in 1000 children aged 0–15 years is affected by juvenile arthritis
1.9% of Australians reported having rheumatoid arthritis in 2017–18