title: Shoulder joint impairment among Finns aged 30 years or over: prevalence, risk factors and co-morbidity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence, risk factors and consequences of shoulder joint impairment in the population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative sample (n = 7217) of the Finnish population aged > or = 30 yr participated in a health examination survey (the Mini-Finland Health Survey). The design of the survey allowed an independent assessment of disability, reported shoulder pain, shoulder joint impairment and major chronic co-morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shoulder impairment was observed in 8.8%, while pain was reported by 30%. The prevalence of shoulder pain decreased among the elderly, whereas impairments increased up to 20% of those aged 75-80 yr. In addition to age, sex, previous injury to the shoulder joint and a history of physically heavy work, diabetes was associated with shoulder impairment (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.1). Shoulder impairment was associated with disability (adjusted OR 2.0, CI 1.6-2.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shoulder impairment is an important component of ill health among the elderly, and cannot be reduced to reported pain alone.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Department of Health and Disability, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mäkelä
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heliövaara
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sainio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knekt
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Impivaara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aromaa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000473:pathology*