Prevalence and Incidence of Gallstones

About prevalence and incidence statistics: The term 'prevalence' of Gallstones usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Gallstones at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Gallstones refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Gallstones diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.

Prevalance of Gallstones: 16 to 22 million people in the USA 1976-87 (Digestive diseases in the United States: Epidemiology and Impact – NIH Publication No. 94-1447, US Government Printing Office, NIDDK, 1994)
Prevalance Rate: approx 1 in 17 or 5.88% or 16 million people in USA [about data]
Prevalance of Gallstones: Symptomatic gallstones result in 600,000 hospitalizations and more than 500,000 operations each year in the United States. ¹ ... Prevalence: 16 to 22 million people (1976-87)²

Prevelance of Gallstones discussion: One in ten Americans has gallstones. However, most people with gallstones don't know they have them and experience no symptoms.¹

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Dieting and Gallstones: NIDDK
2. excerpt from Digestive Diseases Statistics: NIDDK

Last revision: May 27, 2003

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