Anyone can get rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but from the number of people who get rheumatoid arthritis to how it affects them, the disease can be different for women than it is for men.
Why?
While doctors have cited many reasons for these differences, they all agree that the most important thing is to better understand the facts so you can better control your symptoms.
Fast Facts About Women and RA
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Though scientists don’t know what causes RA, they do know it hits women harder:
- More women than men have rheumatoid arthritis. About 1.3 million American adults have RA. Nearly three times more women have the disease than men.
- Rheumatoid arthritis tends to strike women younger. Many women are at the height of careers and child-care responsibilities when it strikes.
- Women with RA are less likely than men to be in remission. A study released in 2009 showed that women are about half as likely to be in remission. In the study, 17% of women were in remission compared to 30% of men.
Recent studies have revealed other important differences for women with RA.
