title: Prevalence of musculoskeletal manifestations and related disabilities in a Peruvian urban population living at high altitude. COPCORD Study. Stage I.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal manifestations and related disabilities of an urban population living at high altitude in Juliaca, Puno, Peru, using the Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) questionnaire and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability index.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed in a sample of 1095 people. In each interview, the COPCORD methodology and the HAQ were applied. The city was divided into 8 sectors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 614 (56.1%) women were evaluated; 44% were from the Quechua community and 5.1% were Aymara. Before the final 7 days of the study, 132 people (12.05%; 95% CI 9.99-14.11) reported musculoskeletal pain. During the final 7 days of the study, 347 people (31.69%; 95% CI 28.36-35.02) who were predominately women (218; 35.5%; 95% CI 30.8-40.2) reported musculoskeletal pain. The most frequent rheumatic diseases were rheumatoid arthritis (1.27%), gout (0.64%), hand osteoarthritis (OA) (2.83%), knee OA (1.55%), hip OA (0.37%), fibromyalgia (1.09%), and soft tissue rheumatism (8.86%). The HAQ showed an incremental increase proportional to age. The HAQ average for the population was 0.18 (±0.36). Ten people (5.71%) of 175 with rheumatic disease received the services of a shaman.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is the first COPCORD study in an urban native population living at high altitude in Peru. The population affected by chronic rheumatic disease preferred professional rather than traditional care; this population had access to limited medical services. Impaired functional capacity measured by HAQ was associated with advanced age.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación, Clínica Reumacenter, Juliaca, Puno, Perú. Electronic address: vegalines@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vega-Hinojosa
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Clínica de Morelia, Morelia, Mich, México.
authors.forename: Mario H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Cardiel
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, Hospital III, EsSalud Red Asistencial Puno, Puno, Perú.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ochoa-Miranda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000531:Altitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Enfermedades reumáticas; Native Peruvians; Nativos peruanos; Prevalence; Prevalencia; Rheumatic diseases