OBJECTIVES: The association between arthritis and work/activity limitations have been evaluated, but little is known about the impact of activity or work limitations on Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL). This study aimed to examine whether work and activity limitations were associated with reduced HRQoL in US veterans with arthritis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey (2011 and 2013) was conducted. Patient-reported HRQoL including physical and mental health were compared between veterans who reported activity and work limitations and those who did not. A zero-inflated negative binomial regression model was used to obtain the difference in the number of unhealthy days and 95% confidence interval (CI) adjusted for age, sex, income, education, race, marital status, employment, disability, physical exercise, and presence of comorbidities (e.g., depression, stroke, and diabetes). RESULTS: A total of 36,551 veterans with arthritis were identified (62% ≥65 yr, 92% male, 85% White,95% have health coverage, 47% with work limitations, and 29% with activity limitations). After adjustment, patients with activity limitations and work limitations had reported higher number of unhealthy physical days (1.96, 95% CI [1.71, 2.21]; 1.81, 95% CI [1.55, 2.06]) and unhealthy mental days (0.54, 95% CI [0.34, 0.73]; 0.66, 95% CI [0.48, 0.84]) compared to those without, respectively. Significant predictors of unhealthy physical days were: disability (P < 0.001), inability to work versus employment (P < 0.001), underweight compared to normal weight (P < 0.001). For mental unhealthy days, depression was the strongest predictor (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Work limitations and activity limitations were associated with reduced HRQoL in veterans with arthritis. Higher impact on physical health was observed with activity limitations but work limitations had more impact on mental health. In addition to work and activity limitations, factors relating to HRQoL were disability, inability to work, being underweight, and depression.