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Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in two primary care clinics in a mid-sized town's urban population in Malaysia.
- Source :
- Malaysian Family Physician; 2021, Vol. 16 Issue 1, p93-102, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Objective: This study assesses the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in patients attending primary care clinics in a medium-sized town in Malaysia and examines the interventions given for the symptoms and the level of the associated disabilities. Method: This investigation comprises a cross-sectional descriptive study of all patients visiting two primary care clinics aged 18 years and above. Patients presenting with joint pain answered a questionnaire assessing demographic data, disabilities (measured by the Stanford HAQ-DI), and treatment options. Results: Of 1,074 patients surveyed, 202 (18.8%) had MSK complaints. The mean age of those with MSK pain was 56.1 years. Incidence increased with age, reaching 78.8% of those over 48 years of age. The knee was the most common site of MSK pain (52.2%), with 20.3% requiring referral for specialist assessment. The median HAQ score was 0.375 and 89.6% of those surveyed had mild disability. Conclusion: MSK pain is a common problem among patients visiting primary care clinics. The most common site of MSK pain was the knee. On formal assessment, the majority of these patients exhibited mild disability. A significant proportion of patients still required specialist referral. This finding would suggest a need for further training on the management of MSK disease at the primary care level to avoid over-burdening the secondary care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1985207X
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Malaysian Family Physician
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 149626496
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.51866/oa1102