Approx.   400,000   Finns    suffer   from osteoarthrosis of knee or hip. Of  these people    approximately  250,000   suffer 
from lowered functional  capacity  due to
the illness.

The   number  of    adults   suffering   from rheumatoid arthritis  in Finland is approx. 35,000. With  efficient and  early  treatment  the risk of disability  involved  in rheumatoid arthritis is reduced and the person suffering from the disorder can  stay   in  working life. The cost of one year's  disability to  society is approx.  € 30,000.  The  annual  costs  of 
new    and    efficient   biological  arthritis medication for one person with arthritis are
€ 20,000.

Almost  10%  of   Finns  are  estimated   to 
suffer  from  osteoporosis.There are approx. 35,000 osteoporotic bone fractures annually, of which 7,000 are hip fractures. The surgery 

costs of one hip fracture are approx. € 15,000. For   hip   fracture   patients   who   remain  in permanent institutional care the annual overall costs are approx. € 35,000. The number of hip fractures has had an approx. fourfold increase during the last thirty years. If the development continues, the number is expected to triple by 2030. 

Almost  a  million  Finns   suffer   from   back problems every year. A  tenth  of  them suffer from    chronic    back    symptoms   and   the resulting  pains.  Back problems are the most common reason for men's absence from work, and  the  second  most  common  for  women. The  costs  to  national  economy arising from back problems are € 400 million with regard to disability  pension  and   € 93.5   million   with regard to sick leaves.

References