WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: OA has been listed as the fastest increasing major public health problem and ranked second as a cause of disability by World Health Organization (WHO). With population aging, osteoarthritis (OA) is causing an increased economic burden for individuals and society and is attracting an increasing amount of scientific attention.

WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: This research used healthcare data to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of OA in Yichang City, Hubei Province, China. The exact number and distribution of patients were obtained, and a descriptive analysis of OA visits by age, gender, and season was performed. Knee joint disease among women was most common, followed by other joint diseases. Knee osteoarthritis was the most common OA diagnosis between 60 and 69 years of age.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: In China, the prevalence of OA among middle-age and elderly people was high. With increases in the size of the elderly population, the burden of disease caused by OA may increase. It is necessary to strengthen publicity to improve people's awareness of self-health care of bone and joint. Interventions and preventive strategies targeting high-risk groups are urgently needed in order to improve healthy bones and healthy life quality among middle-age and elderly people.