Fibromyalgia statistics vary with the population studied, the diagnostic criteria used and the measurement period. Available evidence includes U.S. survey estimates from 2012, claims-based incidence data from 1998–2002, a multi-study prevalence review and historical commercial-insurance cost data from 2001–2004.
Key Fibromyalgia Statistics
The following figures summarize the most broadly useful findings:
- In 2012, 1.75% of U.S. adults, or about 3.94 million people, met NHIS surrogate criteria for fibromyalgia.
- In 2012, 1.78% of the U.S. adult population reported a physician or health-professional fibromyalgia diagnosis.
- Across 65 studies, general-population fibromyalgia prevalence was estimated at 1.78%.
- In the same review evidence base, prevalence was estimated at 3.98% among women.
- In 2012, NHIS criteria prevalence peaked at 2.41% among U.S. adults aged 50–59.
- In 2012, criteria prevalence was 2.38% among U.S. women and 1.06% among U.S. men.
- During 1998–2002, the DMBA age-adjusted incidence rate was 11.28 cases per 1,000 person-years for females.
- During 1998–2002, the DMBA age-adjusted incidence rate was 6.88 cases per 1,000 person-years for males.
- During 1998–2002, females had 1.64 times the age-adjusted incidence of males in the DMBA insured population.
- In 2012, 86.6% of U.S. criteria-positive adults reported pain on most or all days.
- In 2012, 81.3% of U.S. criteria-positive adults reported fatigue lasting more than three days during the prior year.
- In 2012, 67.5% of U.S. criteria-positive adults reported insomnia during the prior year.
- In 2012, 55.8% of U.S. criteria-positive adults under 65 reported being unable to work because of health.
- In 2012, 50.5% of U.S. criteria-positive adults under 65 had ever filed a Social Security disability application.
- In 2012, criteria-positive U.S. adults averaged 8.69 medical office visits per year.
- In 2012, 37.5% of U.S. criteria-positive adults reported problems paying medical bills.
- In 2001–2004 claims, mean annual healthcare expenditure was $10,911 per commercially insured U.S. adult with fibromyalgia.
- In 2001–2004 claims, 20% of employed commercially insured adults with fibromyalgia had short-term disability days.
Contents
- Key Fibromyalgia Statistics
- Fibromyalgia Prevalence in the General Population
- Prevalence by Age, Sex and Diagnostic Criteria
- Fibromyalgia Incidence and Comorbidity Data
- Symptoms, Mental Health and Functional Outcomes
- Healthcare Use, Disability and Work Impact
- Fibromyalgia Costs and Economic Burden
Fibromyalgia Prevalence in the General Population
The 2012 U.S. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) produced two closely aligned estimates. Its survey-specific surrogate criteria identified fibromyalgia in 1.75% of adults, representing about 3.94 million people, while self-reported physician or health-professional diagnosis was 1.78%.
The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey notes that the criteria estimate is not physician-confirmed diagnosis.
A systematic review and meta-analysis covering 65 studies estimated general-population prevalence at 1.78%, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.65%–1.92%. The pooled estimate combines different countries, sampling frames and diagnostic criteria, so it should not be treated as one current national rate.
The same review estimated prevalence at 3.98% among women and 0.01% among men. The reported male 95% confidence interval crossed zero, indicating substantial uncertainty in that pooled estimate.
| Population | Estimated prevalence | Period or evidence base |
|---|---|---|
| General populations | 1.78% (95% CI 1.65%–1.92%) | 65-study review evidence |
| Women | 3.98% | Meta-analysis evidence base |
| Men | 0.01% | Meta-analysis evidence base |
| Rheumatology/internal-medicine patients | 15.2% (95% CI 13.6%–16.9%) | Meta-analysis evidence base |
| Patients with irritable bowel syndrome | 12.9% (95% CI 12.7%–13.1%) | Meta-analysis evidence base |
| Hemodialysis patients | 6.30% (95% CI 4.60%–7.90%) | Meta-analysis evidence base |
The clinical subgroup figures are not interchangeable with general-population prevalence. For example, the 12.9% figure is fibromyalgia prevalence among patients with irritable bowel syndrome, not the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome among people with fibromyalgia.
Source: Prevalence of fibromyalgia in general population and patients, a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Prevalence by Age, Sex and Diagnostic Criteria
The 2012 NHIS criteria estimate rose from younger adulthood into middle age, peaking at 2.41% among adults aged 50–59, then declining among the oldest age group measured. These are point estimates from one survey year and use surrogate criteria.
| U.S. age group | NHIS criteria prevalence, 2012 |
|---|---|
| 18–29 | 0.76% |
| 30–39 | 1.40% |
| 40–49 | 2.27% |
| 50–59 | 2.41% |
| 60–69 | 2.05% |
| 70–79 | 2.02% |
| 80–85 | 1.61% |
Overall prevalence was 2.38% among women and 1.06% among men. Only 27% of criteria-positive participants reported a physician diagnosis of fibromyalgia, a difference that should not be interpreted as a diagnostic accuracy study because the self-report and survey criteria do not match exactly.
Among NHIS participants, 83.57% of criteria-positive adults satisfied the American College of Rheumatology 1990 widespread-pain criterion, compared with 5.21% of criteria-negative participants. The mean polysymptomatic-distress score was 16.10 in criteria-positive adults versus 2.04 in criteria-negative adults; PSD is a study measure combining symptom domains, not a standalone clinical test.
Source: The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey.
Fibromyalgia Incidence and Comorbidity Data
A population-based retrospective cohort study using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision claims identified 2,595 incident cases during 1998–2002 among insured U.S. employees and dependents. The cohort had limited representation of people over 65, and 68% of members resided in Utah.
| DMBA measure | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Age-adjusted incidence, per 1,000 person-years | 6.88 | 11.28 |
| Highest age-specific incidence, per 1,000 person-years | 12.66 at ages 50–54 | 20.86 at ages 55–59 |
| Share of incident cases | 35% | 65% |
Females had 1.64 times the age-adjusted incidence of males, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.59–1.69. During the study period, 85.5% of patients had fewer than five fibromyalgia visits over five years, but visit count is a claims-utilization measure rather than symptom severity.
Claims-based associations with other conditions were also reported. Female fibromyalgia patients had risk ratios of 5.64 for chronic fatigue syndrome and 5.77 for systemic lupus erythematosus, while male patients had risk ratios of 7.05 for chronic fatigue syndrome and 6.10 for rheumatoid arthritis.
These risk ratios describe associations in the insured cohort and do not establish causation. The study also recorded 10,824 fibromyalgia visits involving 3,506 patients during 1997–2002.
Symptoms, Mental Health and Functional Outcomes
The 2012 NHIS provides a broad snapshot of symptoms among U.S. adults who met its fibromyalgia surrogate criteria. These self-reported measures describe the prior year where specified and are not objective clinical tests.
- Pain on most or all days was reported by 86.6% of criteria-positive adults.
- Fatigue lasting more than three days in the prior year was reported by 81.3%.
- Insomnia in the prior year was reported by 67.5%.
- Memory loss in the prior year was reported by 43.6%; this is not objective cognitive testing.
- Anxiety during the year was reported by 64.8%.
- Anxiety-medication use was reported by 43.6%, while depression-medication use was reported by 44.7%.
Functional limitations were also measured. Much difficulty or inability to climb stairs affected 39.2% of criteria-positive adults, while 6.84% had much difficulty or were unable to walk one-quarter mile and 7.5% had much difficulty or were unable to perform self-care.
Medication use is not equivalent to a formal anxiety or depression diagnosis, and the functional measures are survey reports rather than clinical performance tests. Source: The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey.
Healthcare Use, Disability and Work Impact
Healthcare utilization and financial strain were higher among 2012 NHIS criteria-positive adults than among criteria-negative adults. The comparisons below are survey-based, and the disability figures for work and Social Security apply to adults under 65.
| 2012 NHIS measure | Criteria-positive | Criteria-negative |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to work because of health, under 65 | 55.8% | 5.8% |
| Ever filed Social Security disability application, under 65 | 50.5% | 5.8% |
| Social Security disability payments in prior year, under 65 | 30.2% | 2.8% |
| Hospitalization in prior year | 17.7% | 8.8% |
| Specialist visit in prior year | 49.7% | 25.2% |
| Problems paying medical bills | 37.5% | 17.4% |
Criteria-positive adults averaged 8.69 medical office visits per year, compared with 3.84 among criteria-negative adults. The source describes this as an adjusted survey comparison, while specialist visits use a broad category.
Source: The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey.
Fibromyalgia Costs and Economic Burden
A MarketScan study of commercially insured U.S. adults measured 12-month outcomes from 2001–2004 claims. The costs are historical, and newer medicines were not reflected.
| Group | Mean annual healthcare expenditure | Standard deviation |
|---|---|---|
| Fibromyalgia | $10,911 | $16,075 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | $10,716 | $16,860 |
| Both conditions | $19,395 | $25,440 |
The combined-condition group had the highest mean expenditure and the greatest dispersion, but its small size limits interpretation. These figures describe commercially insured adults and should not be presented as current prices or as a universal cost estimate.
Work-related outcomes were also reported for employed commercially insured adults. Short-term disability days occurred in 20% of fibromyalgia patients versus 15% of rheumatoid-arthritis patients, while absence days were reported for 80% versus 65%, respectively.
The PubMed abstract presents the absence-days comparison in a sentence whose group ordering is potentially ambiguous, so that statistic should be verified against the full article before being used for a definitive comparison. Source: The economic burden of fibromyalgia: comparative analysis with rheumatoid arthritis.