Autoimmune disease rates are multiplying rapidly. Here’s what you need to know.
- About 24 million Americans suffer from an autoimmune disease. Symptoms often begin when you’re young, in your 20s and 30s.
- About 75 percent of people with autoimmune disease are women. Autoimmune diseases are the fourth leading cause of disability in women.
- Autoimmune diseases tend to cluster in families. Genetics, infection and environmental exposures likely increase your risk of developing an autoimmune disease.
- Lupus, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis are among the most common autoimmune diseases.
