The public neglect of rheumatic diseases: insights from analyses of attendees in a musculoskeletal disease awareness activity.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain data on the care received by individuals counselled during a public health awareness campaign on painful musculoskeletal conditions (MSC).


METHODS
Easy non-formal access to rheumatologists/pain specialists was offered using a mobile unit (Rheuma-Bus) at widely accessible sites. Clients were asked to assess their severity of pain using a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Age, gender, disease duration, diagnosis if known, current and previous treatment as well as tentative diagnoses assigned and recommendations given to each individual by the counselling physicians were recorded.


RESULTS
Average (SD) VAS pain rating was 59 (20.6) mm. Approximately 40% of clients had never consulted a physician for their condition before, but had lower pain scores than those who had seen a physician. Patients with inflammatory MSC had higher pain scores than those with non-inflammatory conditions. More than 2% of the clients had a newly detected inflammatory rheumatic disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Many individuals having painful MSC seek medical help only when a very high threshold of pain is reached. Even while under treatment, the high mean pain scores suggest neglect of MSC that are not adequately recognised as important contributors to disability and decreased quality of life.
Machold
Klaus P
KP
Department of Rheumatology, Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. klaus.machold@meduniwien.ac.at
Köller
Marcus D
MD
Pflugbeil
Stephan
S
Zimmermann
Christof
C
Wagner
Ernst
E
Stuby
Ulrike
U
Aletaha
Daniel
D
Stamm
Tanja A
TA
Mayrhofer
Franz
F
Dunky
Attila
A
Hermann
Josef
J
Ilias
Wilfried
W
Smolen
Josef S
JS
D000368:Aged; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D011634:Public Health; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy