title: Social and economic impacts of four musculoskeletal conditions. A study using national community-based data.
abstract: The present study uses data from a national, community-based survey to compare the social impact of and medical care use due to 4 musculoskeletal conditions: rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, and tendinitis. The study also compares the impacts experienced by persons with these conditions with those experienced by a sample of persons having a broader range of musculoskeletal conditions, and by an age-adjusted sample representing the entire U.S. population. Rheumatoid arthritis leads to the most frequent use of physician services; lower back pain results in the most hospitalizations and surgery. Rheumatoid arthritis also causes the most restriction in activity. We found that as a broad group, persons with musculoskeletal disease experience about the same amount of restriction in activity and use about the same amount of medical care as U.S. citizens as a whole. This study demonstrates that health planning on the basis of specific musculoskeletal conditions is necessary to serve the disparate needs of persons with particular, discrete conditions.
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D001416:Back Pain / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors