The Prevalence and Clinical Features of Musculoskeletal Diseases in Incheon: Results from Chronic Disease Management Surveys / 대한류마티스학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases in Incheon. METHODS: This study was based on data from chronic disease management surveys of Incheon. The surveys were conducted from 12 Sept 2005 to 7 Oct 2005 on 5,144 households using proportional stratified sampling methods. Three questionnaires were performed on all study subjects. All analyses were done using SPSS version 11.5. RESULTS: Out of 16,623 subjects, the mean age was 34.5+/-20.2 (years, +/-SD). The crude prevalence rate of musculoskeletal diseases were as follows osteoarthritis 3.2%, rheumatoid arthritis 1.1%, spondyloarthropathy 0.3%, gouty arthritis 0.1%, Behcet's disease 0.04%, herniated disc 1.1%, and osteoporosis 0.8%. Age-standardized prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis was 1.6%, and osteoarthritis 5.2%. The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis tended to be higher among older age groups, low socioeconomic/education state, and homemakers. The age-standardized prevalence of arthritis was higher in rural than in urban area. There were more concurrent chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes mellitus in the arthritis group than in the whole population. Questionnaires were performed on subjects with musculoskeletal disease. It revealed chronic arthralgia at 3%, spine arthralgia 2.5%, and chronic myalgia 2.8%. CONCLUSION: The crude prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis were 1.1% and 3.2% (age-standardized, 1.6% and 5.2%), respectively. The prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases in Incheon is much lower than previously-reported data indicate. These differences should be confirmed by further epidemiological survey. The prevalence of arthritis is higher in populations of old age, low socioeconomic state, and rural areas.