Musculoskeletal pain in the community.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in Al-Qaseem province in central Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
Over a period of 18 months extending from September 1993 through to the end of February 1995, a house-to-house survey was conducted in Al-Qaseem province and included 5,894 adults asking regarding musculoskeletal pain.


RESULTS
We obtained a response from 5,823 (98.8%), 2,667 (45.8%) men, and 3,156 (54.2%) women. The mean age was 34.14 +/- 15.16 years. Musculoskeletal pain was reported by 1,477 (25.4%), 762 (13.1%) men and 715 (12.3%) women. Musculoskeletal pain was significantly correlated with age (r =0.454), married status (r=0.238), unemployment (r=0.122), lower educational attainment (r=0.347), frequent attendance at local doctor (r=0.703), consumption of medications for pain (r =0.551), and change in ability to work (r=0.492). We found no association with sex or body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
Musculoskeletal pain, although common in the community, is less prevalent than reported from Western countries, but has similar socio-medical consequences.
Al-Arfaj
Abdurhman S
AS
Department of Medicine and Community Medicine, Riyadh 11468, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. asarfaj@ksu.edu.sa
Alballa
Suliman R
SR
Al-Dalaan
Abdullah N
AN
Al-Saleh
Salman S
SS
Al-Sekeit
Mohammed A
MA
Bahabri
Sultan A
SA
Mousa
Mohammed A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004651:Employment / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile