Thirty-five million Americans report suffering from arthritis, and 6 million admit they haven't seen a doctor about it, according to a survey released Thursday by federal health officials. ``This confirms our suspicions that people are seeing (pain-killer) ads on TV and treating their arthritis themselves _ and very possibly doing damage to themselves,'' said Steve Erickson, spokesman for the Arthritis Foundation, based in Atlanta. The highest incidence of arthritis was in Florida, 18 percent, while the lowest was in Alaska, 9 percent. More than 3,000 people were asked in 1987 if they had experienced various arthritic conditions in the past year, if they had consulted a physician about the condition and if their arthritis was limiting their work or their household lives, the national Centers for Disease Control said. Nationwide, the survey found, 14.6 percent of the population reported arthritis and 12.1 percent had consulted a doctor about it, leaving 2.5 percent _ about 6 million people _ who hadn't. The feeling that nothing can be done for arthritis, beyond taking over-the-counter pain medication, ``is a real big misconception,'' Erickson said. ``There are a lot of things you can do.'' The problem will probably get worse if pain relievers are the only treatment, he said. ``These findings indicate the need ... to determine why these persons have not sought medical care, and to identify approaches for overcoming barriers to care,'' the CDC said in its weekly report. Women reported higher rates of arthritis than men, 18 percent to 11 percent. Women also were more likely to have seen a doctor about their arthritis _ 15 percent to 9 percent _ and were more likely to report limits in their activity _ 4 percent to 2 percent. Overall, 3 percent said arthritis was limiting their activities. There was little racial difference in arthritis reporting: 15 percent for whites and 14 percent for blacks. As might be expected, arthritis rates increased with age. Eleven percent of respondents aged 35-44 reported arthritis compared with 23 percent of those 45-54; by the 75-and-over group, the rate was 53 percent, compared to just 3 percent in the under-35 group. The high rate of arthritis in Florida ``is due to its relatively large population of elderly persons,'' the CDC said. Alaska's low rate can be attributed in part to its high Native American and Pacific Islander populations, ``among whom the prevalence of arthritic conditions is low,'' the report said. Erickson said too few people are aware of the warning signs of arthritis, such as joint swelling, early morning stiffness, recurring joint pain or inability to move a joint that lasts for more than two weeks. People with those symptoms should see a doctor, the Arthritis Foundation said.
