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Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent rheumatic disorders in the Asia-Pacific region. Identification of modifiable risk factors is important for development of strategies for primary and secondary prevention of knee OA. Objective: Developing a core questionnaire for identification of risk factors of knee OA at the community level. Methods: Steps performed: (1) item generation from literature, existing knee OA questionnaires and patient focus group discussions; (2) development of a preliminary APLAR-COPCORD English questionnaire; (3) translation into target language, back translation and development of a pre-final target language version; (4) adaptation of the pre-final target language version through tests of comprehensibility, content validity, test–retest reliability; and (5) finalization of the English questionnaire. Investigators in Bangladesh, Iran, China, Philippines and Indonesia participated in steps 1 and 2. Subsequent steps were carried out by Bangladeshi and Iranian investigators. Results: Fifty-three items were generated. Fourteen were obtainable from physical examination and placed in an examination sheet. Two radiological items were not included. A preliminary English questionnaire comprising the remaining 37 items was constructed and translated into Bengali and Persian. The preliminary Bengali and Persian versions were adapted as a result of tests of comprehensibility, content validity and test–retest reliability. The English questionnaire was adapted through repeated exchange of ideas and experiences among participating investigators. A 35-item English core questionnaire was finally developed. Conclusion: The questionnaires may be used to identify risk factors of knee OA in Asia-Pacific communities after validation and further adaptation. From these data strategies for primary and secondary prevention of knee OA can be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to study the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints and disorders in a rural area in Iran. Interviews were conducted in randomly selected subjects from five villages in Tuyserkan County, northwestern part of Iran. The three phases of stage 1 Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases were done during the same day. A total of 614 houses was visited, 1,565 persons interviewed, and 1,192 persons examined. Musculoskeletal complaints during the past 7 days were detected in 66.6% (shoulder 22.7%, wrist 17.4%, hands and fingers 14.9%, hip 13.9%, knee 39.2%, ankle 19.6%, toes 12.7%, cervical spine 17.9%, and dorsolumbar spine 41.9%). Degenerative joint diseases were detected in 20.5% (cervical spondylosis 2.2%, knee osteoarthritis [OA] 19.3%, hand OA 2.7%, and hip OA 0.13). Low back pain was detected in 23.4%, soft tissue rheumatism in 2.2%, rheumatoid arthritis in 0.19%, ankylosing spondylitis in 1.1%, systemic lupus erythematosus in 0.06%, and fibromyalgia in 0.06%. The prevalence of rheumatic complaints in rural Iran is very high and needs attention in the curricula of medical schools and in the planning of rural health care by the government.

The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints and rheumatic disorders in Caucasians and Turks in an identical environment. Subjects were selected randomly for an interview from Tehran's 22 districts. The Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases questionnaire was filled in, positive cases were examined, and if needed, laboratory or X-ray tests were performed. A total of 4,096 houses were visited, and 10,291 persons were interviewed. They were 71.4% Caucasians and 23.1% Turks with similar distribution of age and gender. Musculoskeletal complaints of the past 7 days were detected in 40.8% of Caucasians and 45.5% of Turks (p < 0.001). In Caucasians, the total of musculoskeletal complaints in men was 33.8% (95% CI, 31.4-36.2%) versus 48.3% in women (95% CI, 45.7-50.8%). In Turks, the total of musculoskeletal complaints in men was 36.6% (95% CI, 32.2-41.1%) versus 55.8% in women (95% CI, 55.8-60.6%). The data of Caucasians versus Turks were as follows: knee pain 20.2% (95% CI, 18.2-22.1) versus 24.1% (95% CI, 20.5-27.6), with p < 0.001; dorso-lumbar spine pain 15.1% (95% CI, 13.6-16.6) versus 18.4% (95% CI, 15.1-21.8), with p < 0.001; shoulder pain 10.7% (95% CI, 9.4-11.9) versus 12.3% (95% CI, 9.7-14.8), with p = 0.025; osteoarthritis 14.1% (95% CI, 12.8-15.2) versus 16.4% (95% CI, 14.3-18.6), p = 0.04; and knee osteoarthritis 12.3% (95% CI, 11.8-14.1) versus 15.3% (95% CI, 13.3-17.4), with p < 0.001). There were no significant differences regarding the prevalence of soft tissue rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Behcet's disease, fibromyalgia, and gout. Although musculoskeletal complaints were more frequent in Turks than in Caucasians, the prevalence of rheumatic disorders was rather similar except for knee osteoarthritis.