Ackerman IN, et al. - This report reviewed the prevalence and direct healthcare costs of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Australia to the year 2030. Collected data represented that OA and RA were costly conditions that would impose an increasing healthcare burden at the population level. These findings provided tangible data that could be employed to develop future health service provision to expected need.

Methods

• For this study, an epidemiological model of the Australian population was developed.
• From the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2014-2015 National Health Survey, data on the national prevalence of OA and RA were gathered.
• Future prevalence was estimated using ABS population projections for 2020, 2025 and 2030.
• Available government data on direct healthcare expenditure for OA and RA were modelled to forecast costs (in AUD) for the years 2020, 2025 and 2030, from the perspective of the Australian public healthcare system.

Results

• Evidence displayed that the number of people with OA was expected to increase nationally from almost 2.2 million in 2015 to almost 3.1 million Australians in 2030.
• The number of people with RA is projected to increase from 422,309 in 2015 to 579,915 in 2030. 
• Healthcare costs for OA were estimated to be over $2.1 billion in 2015; by the year 2030, these are forecast to exceed $2.9 billion ($970 for every person with the condition).
• Healthcare costs for RA were estimated to be over $550 million in 2015, including $273 million spent on biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. 
• By the year 2030, healthcare costs for RA are projected to rise to over $755 million.