Musculoskeletal complaints and associated consequences in elderly Chinese aged 70 years and over.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and sites of musculoskeletal complaints and some associated health consequences among elderly Chinese.


METHODS
A random sample of all subjects aged 70 years and over stratified by age and sex. Information collected by questionnaire at an interview.


RESULTS
Nineteen to 41% of subjects complained of pain at various sites restricting activities, with a higher prevalence for women. The most common 4 sites involved in order of frequency were knee, upper back, ankle/foot, and shoulder. Back pain increased with age in men to reach the same frequency as women in the 90+ age group. Between 6 to 10% of men and 9 to 14% of women used nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Pain limiting activities were associated with a lower Barthel index, use of walking aids, increased frequency of doctor consultations, sleep disturbance, and higher depressive symptom scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention of conditions resulting in musculoskeletal complaints would be important in the promotion of healthy active life expectancy in the elderly.
Woo
J
J
Department of Medicine, Community and Family Medicine, Chinese-University of Hong Kong.
Ho
S C
SC
Lau
J
J
Leung
P C
PC
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D044466:Asian People; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires