fampractfamprjFamily Practice1460-22290263-2136Oxford University Press10.1093/fampra/cmm012Primary Care EpidemiologyPatterns of pain and consulting behaviour in patients with musculoskeletal disorders in rural Crete, GreeceAntonopoulouMariaabAntonakisNacHadjipavlouAdLionisCaaClinic of Social and Family Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, GreecebSpili Health CentrecAnogeia Health Centre, Regional Health and Welfare System of Crete, Crete, GreecedDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, GreeceCorrespondence to: Maria Antonopoulou, Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece; Email: antonopm@uoc.grAntonopoulou M, Antonakis N, Hadjipavlou A and Lionis C. Patterns of pain and consulting behaviour in patients with musculoskeletal disorders in rural Crete, Greece. Family Practice 2007; 24: 209–216.6200715520072432092163620063220071832007© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.2007Background. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) account as a reason for frequent consultations in primary care. However, the magnitude of the problem at the GP's clinic, the patterns of pain and the consulting behaviour has not been sufficiently explored.Objectives. The aim of this study was to report on patterns of pain relevant to MSDs and explore the co-morbidities and consulting behaviour in rural primary care settings in Crete.Methods. Three primary care centres (PCCs) of Crete were selected for a study period of 2 weeks. Every visitor, aged 20–75 years, regardless of the reason for visiting the facility was invited to participate. The Greek version of the general Nordic questionnaire for the analysis of musculoskeletal disorders (NMQ) was used for data collection.Results. A total of 455 subjects answered the NMQ. Three hundred and seventy-six (82.6%) of the study population reported having one or more symptoms during the previous year. Low back (56.9%), neck (34.1%), shoulder (29.9%) and knee (27.9%) were the commonest sites of pain. In almost half cases (48.6%), the complaints about pain were accompanied by activity restrictions. Multivariate statistical analysis showed significant correlations with increasing age and female gender (P < 0.05). Common chronic conditions were associated with co-morbidities from the musculoskeletal system. Only one-third of those who reported MSDs had consulted their GPs for the same problems within the previous year.Conclusions. MSDs are highly prevalent among rural population in Crete but fewer patients seek care than those who report symptoms.Greece, musculoskeletal disorderspain patternsprimary careruralIntroductionMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) comprise a major health problem for the general population, affecting their quality of life, demanding increased health care and organization.1 According to reports from Canada and the Netherlands,2,3 the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems range from 29% to 74.5%, respectively. However, the annual consultation rate by health care professionals of musculoskeletal problems is about 20%.4 MSDs often cause pain and significant disability, especially in the elderly population, signifying a heavy community burden.5 Furthermore, working conditions correlate well with MSDs.6 In family practice settings, MSDs often co-exist with multiple medical conditions, addressing special care needs.7In Greece, although MSDs have been considered as common reasons for patients' visits to GPs in rural areas,8,9 issues of pain patterns and consulting behaviour are still unexplored. This paper reports on the magnitude of musculoskeletal problems within the primary care setting with emphasis on co-morbidities and consulting behaviour and intends to discuss its implications for GPs in a southern European country.MethodsSettingData were gathered from three PCCs in rural Crete. These PCCs provide around the clock outpatient care for a rural district, serving a population of approximately 37 000 inhabitants10 with most of them being farmers [International Standard Classification of Occupations, 88 (ISCO-COM 6) and craft and related trades sectors (ISCO-COM 7)]. People are also employed in restaurant services and travel-related services (ISCO-COM 5), since a lot of tourists are visiting these areas. The unemployment rate is nearly 12%, slightly higher, as compared to 10% in the rest of the country. The educational status is low with more than 50% of the general population being either illiterate or with primary education only [International Standard Classification of Education 1997 (ISCED 0 + 1)].SamplingAll consecutive visitors (20–75 years of age) in the three PCCs during a period of 10 working days in November 2002 participated in the study. A written consent was obtained and the study protocol was applied by health professionals. The month of November was selected because most agricultural tasks in the fields take place during this period throughout the catchment area of the PCCs. During that period, farmers are engaged in intensive harvesting of grapes and olives, demanding hard manual work with the spine in a bend over position for a prolonged period of time. Other awkward positions during farming can also extract musculoskeletal strain. Moreover, at this time there are no tourists visiting the PCCs, so the study population comes from the permanent inhabitants served by these PCCs. The sample collected was further scrutinized for clinical co-morbidities and the consulting behaviour, using the medical records of one PCC.MethodsThe Greek version of the general form of the standardized Nordic questionnaire for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms (NMQ) was used for data collection. NMQ had been previously translated and validated in the Greek language.11 Apart from a few general demographic questions, it contains a picture of the back aspect of the human body divided in nine anatomical areas (neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists/hands, upper back, low back, hips/thighs, knees and ankles/feet) (Fig. 1). The rest of the questions are distributed in three columns. There are nine screening questions in the first column. For example, ‘have you at any time during the last 12 months had trouble i.e. ache, pain or discomfort in this area?’. In case of a positive answer, the respondents answer whether or not they had been prevented from doing their normal work at home or away from home, during the same period because of that ailment. They are also asked if they had experienced that symptom during the previous 7 days (questions in the second and the third column). Therefore, the questionnaire's structure investigates the prevalence of different MSDs and examines which of the particular problems are the more debilitating (i.e. prohibited patients from engaging in their normal work routine within the previous 12 months). Even though, NMQ is self-administered, because of the special features of the study population (mean age of 51.9 years and education level between 0 and 6 years), trained health professionals assisted the subjects with the completion of the questionnaire.FIGURE 1The back aspect of the human body as it appears in the NMQAdditional data concerning age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and working records were extracted by the NMQ. BMI was classified into four categories: underweight (BMI < 20 kg/m2), normal (BMI ≥ 20 and < 25 kg/m2), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 and < 30 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2).12 To determine the extent to which NMQ identified musculoskeletal symptoms during primary care visits, we carried out a medical audit in one of the participating PCCs and all medical records of the subjects were reviewed. Co-morbidities (according to International Classification for Primary Care 2), education level (according to ISCED 1997), type of occupation (according to ISCO-COM 88), cohabitation status (any kind of cohabitation or living alone) and consultation patterns were also collected using a pre-tested questionnaire.Statistical analysesStatistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 12.0. A P-value of P < 0.05 was accepted as significant. For the nine anatomical areas, the 1-year period prevalence, the prevalence of daily limitations due to reported symptoms and the point prevalence (musculoskeletal symptoms during last week) were calculated. Those were the dependent variables. Independent variables were age, gender, BMI, working time at present work and working hours per week. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between each exposure variable and musculoskeletal symptoms. This method was applied stepwise in an enter approach. The association between education level, type of occupation, cohabitation status, co-morbidities and the patterns of pain was also measured. To study the effects of different occupations to limitations in daily activities, the total score of positive answers for each patient and for each question was calculated. Wilcoxon paired and unpaired (Mann–Whitney) tests were used to compare these scores into the same and among different occupational groups. Chi-square test was used to compare those who had consulted their physicians for MSDs with those who did not.ResultsSample characteristicsOverall, 455 subjects completed the questionnaire at the three PCCs with participation rate at 95.2%. Table 1 shows the general demographic characteristics. Two hundred and sixty (57.2%) of the respondents were females and the mean age was 51.9 [95% confidence interval (CI): 50.3–53.7] years.Table 1Sample characteristicsn = 455, %GenderMen42.8Women57.2Age group20–3929.340–5928.260–7542.5BMIUnderweight (BMI < 20)0.8Acceptable (20 ≤ BMI < 25)20.2Overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30)55.4Obese (BMI ≥ 30)21.1No records available2.4Residence areaAnogeia15.4Perama45.9Spili38.7Years at present work<1–412.15–1420.415–2413.025–3412.335–4411.645+4.8No records available25.7Weekly working hours5–144.215–245.325–342.935–4417.145–5425.155+17.1No records available28.3Patterns of painThree hundred and seventy-six subjects (82.6%) reported at least one musculoskeletal problem during the previous year, while 219 (48.1%) subjects reported limitations of activities due to their symptoms during the same period of time. Low back pain was the commonest complaint (56.9%), followed by neck (34.1%), shoulder (29.9%) and knee (27.9%) problems. Two musculoskeletal co-morbidities were present in 24% of patients (n =  109); one in 23.3% (n =  105), while 3.3% (n =  15) reported widespread pain in all nine regions of the body. Low back pain was also the most debilitating symptom reported (28.6%), causing limitations in daily activities. Low back and neck pain was the commonest combination reported (n =  124, 27.5%), resulting in the higher disability rate (11.0%). Although the co-existence of more than two symptoms was not frequent, this seemed to be associated with more disability but without statistical significance. The reported patterns of pain by age groups and gender are presented in Table 2.Table 2Patterns of pain by age and genderPain patterns/age groupsPrevalence of pain during the last year/genderMalesFemalesLevel of significancean%n%Neck4121.011443.8<0.0001    20–39 years31.5166.20.025    40–64 years157.74918.80.001    65+ years2211.34818.50.048Shoulder4523.19135.00.008    20–39 years73.6197.30.139    40–64 years157.73413.10.092    65+ years2211.33714.20.441Elbow189.23915.00.087    20–39 years00.031.20.336    40–64 years73.6197.30.139    65+ years105.1176.50.670Wrist/hand2110.86725.8<0.0001    20–39 years31.593.50.307    40–64 years63.13513.50.0002    65+ years126.2238.80.393Upper back2010.37729.6<0.0001    20–39 years31.5114.20.166    40–64 years63.1186.90.113    65+ years115.62911.20.054Low back8644.117366.5<0.0001    20–39 years2412.33513.50.813    40–64 years2914.97328.10.001    65+ years3216.46324.20.056Hip2010.37729.6<0.0001    20–39 years21.083.10.234    40–64 years42.13212.30.0001    65+ years136.73613.80.023Knees4322.18432.30.024    20–39 years63.1114.20.716    40–64 years115.62710.40.096    65+ years2713.83613.80.890Foot/ankle3316.95220.00.926    20–39 years42.193.50.549    40–64 years84.1228.50.093    65+ years2010.3218.10.519a Statistical significant values are printed in italic.The prevalence of the reported symptoms was statistically related to increasing age (P < 0.05) for neck, elbow, low back, hip and knee pain. Multiple musculoskeletal symptoms were also related to aging. Patients with shoulder and low back pain reported also more disability in terms of limitation in their daily activities.Morbidity patterns also differed between women and men. While low back pain was the commonest symptom in both genders, female patients reported higher prevalence for every symptom (P < 0.05) except for elbow and foot (Table 2). Women reported more pain conditions than men 11.9/10.7 (P < 0.05) and more disability.In the questions about working schedules, the majority of the sample reported 20 (95% CI: 18.6–21.8) years of work for 45.6 (95% CI: 43.6–47.6) hours per week. Men worked longer hours but this tended to decrease, as they grew older. Women worked mainly at home or at the farms, fewer hours per week than men (men/women ratio: 1.1). Working for a period of more that 15 years was related to higher morbidity mainly from shoulder and elbow pain (Table 3). Limitations in daily activities due to neck, shoulder, low back and foot complaints were related to longer working schedule per week. Multiple regression analysis for the most frequent patterns of pain is presented in Table 3.Table 3Logistic regression analysis of most frequent patterns of pain by age, gender, BMI and working timeVariableBSEP-valueExp. B95% CILow back pain    Age0.0230.0120.0461.0241.000–1.047    Gender0.8580.2390.00032.3591.477–3.768    BMI0.0330.0310.2941.0330.972–1.098    Years in the present work0.0010.0120.9561.0010.977–1.025    Hours per week0.0050.9840.4580.9950.981–1.009Neck pain    Age0.0540.0130.000031.0561.029–1.083    Gender1.3230.2740.0000013.7562.193–6.431    BMI0.0090.0330.7920.9910.930–1.057    Years in the present work0.0070.0130.5820.9930.968–1.018    Hours per week0.0100.0080.1910.9900.975–1.005Shoulder pain    Age0.0140.0130.2851.0140.989–1.040    Gender0.6310.2670.0181.8791.114–3.171    BMI0.0290.0320.3731.0290.966–1.096    Years in the present work0.0280.0130.0311.0281.033–1.055    Hours per week0.0040.0080.5961.0040.989–1.019Knee pain    Age0.0330.0130.0111.0341.008–1.061    Gender1.0060.2800.0032.7351.578–4.738    BMI0.0330.0330.3211.0330.969–1.102    Years in the present work0.0150.0130.2581.0150.989–1.041    Hours per week0.0070.0080.3961.0070.991–1.022Further analysis from the sample in one PCC showed that occupation did not constitute a statistically significant risk factor for the presence of MSDs. Thirty-one per cent of the sample were farmers (ISCO-COM 6), 11% were employed in restaurant services and travel-related services (ISCO-COM 5) and 27%—almost half of all the women—were housewives. Comparing the total scores in the three questions of the NMQ among various occupational groups, it came out that the majority kept their usual everyday activities during the previous year, even though they reported a great number of musculoskeletal symptoms (P < 0.001). Different occupations did not statistically affect this result.Cohabitation and educational status did not significantly differ in the patterns of reported symptoms.Co-morbiditiesHalf of the study population (55.4%) for both sexes were overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2) with mean BMI = 29.0 (95% CI: 28.6–29.9), especially women in advanced age (BMI > 30 kg/m2 in 24.6% of females) (Pearson R correlation, Rp = 0.328, P < 0.001 of correlation between overweight women and age). Overweight (BMI > 25) and obese (BMI > 30) patients had a tendency to report more musculoskeletal symptoms but not of statistical significance. However, they reported more activity limitations as a result of shoulder, elbow, wrist and foot pain.Review of medical records in one PCC revealed that the most common diagnoses co-existing with MSDs were hypertension (64/176, 36%), osteoarthritis (OA) of hip and/or knee (56/176, 32%), coronary artery disease (CAD) (21/176, 12%) and mental disorders (20/176, 11%). The number of co-morbidities was increasing with age without statistical significance. Mental disorders, mainly depression, ranked as the medical conditions with the highest proportion of musculoskeletal symptoms (95.0%), followed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (92.8%), CAD (90.4%), OA (84.0%), diabetes (83.3%) and hypertension (82.8%). The multiple logistic regression analysis of the most common co-morbidities in correlation to the reported symptoms highlighted strong correlations, especially with arthritic conditions. Shoulder pain was statistically associated with COPD (adjusted OR = 8.94, 95% CI 1.47–54.17, P = 0.017) and OA (adjusted OR = 4.25, 95% CI 1.67–10.81, P = 0.002), whereas wrist pain was more frequent in subjects with diabetes (adjusted OR = 3.87, 95% CI 1.09–13.68, P = 0.035). The prevalence of elbow pain was correlated to CAD (adjusted OR =5.01, 95% CI 1.01–24.87, P = 0.048). Patients with OA also reported statistically significant activity restriction (P < 0.05) due to neck, shoulder, upper back, hip, knee and foot symptoms, unlike diabetic patients who did not complain for many daily restrictions. Cancer of any form, mental disorders or stomach problems were not statistically correlated to MSDs.Consulting behaviourData from one PCC showed that although the prevalence of reported MSD was measured at 71.4% (125 out of 176), only 56 subjects (32%) had reported the same symptoms to their GP during previous consultations. These symptoms originated mainly from low back, neck, knee and hip areas. Patients with multiple co-morbidities were more likely to have previously consulted their GPs for those problems (adjusted OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.6–2.9, P < 0.0001). Seventy-four of the participants (41.7%) reported symptoms during the last week (question in the third column of the NMQ), but only 13 (17.5%) visited their GP complaining for musculoskeletal symptoms. When comparing those visiting GPs with those who did not (chi-square test) during the previous year, we found that younger patients of both genders with limited education did not consult their physician due to MSDs. A patient with knee or shoulder pain was seeking care more often regardless of age. Older patients and patients suffering from OA or hypertension reported significantly more consultations. Other factors like gender, BMI, working time or occupation were not found to have statistical significance.DiscussionSummary of resultsThere are several interesting points revealed by this study such as the patterns and distribution of pain, the differences between genders and the consulting behaviour. Low back pain was the commonest reported site among all age groups. Low back pain, followed by neck and shoulder pain, was also the main symptom for daily living limitations. This finding is in accordance with the results of a recent systematic review in general practice of work-related diseases.13 Age was found to be a risk factor for many musculoskeletal symptoms. Younger patients (20–39 years) reported fewer symptoms and less frequently, as compared with older patients (66.2% prevalence of any MSDs versus 90% for the older group over 60 years of age, P < 0.05).Pain patterns also differed between genders. In our study, women reported on average more symptoms and more disability. Women to a greater extent than men blamed musculoskeletal pain in neck, wrist, low back, hip or knee for restrictions in daily activities. The tendency for MSDs to affect more women than men has been shown in other epidemiological studies.3,14 Reasons for gender differences, apart from the apparent biological differences (genetics, physiology, hormones, etc.), include different psychosocial aspects of symptoms and care. Women also seem to visit more promptly health care facilities and recall health problems to a greater extent than men.15 However, in our study, such gender preference was not revealed.In our study, overweight or obesity, a common public health problem in contemporary Crete,16 showed significant correlations only with the reported disabilities due to pain of upper limb and foot. According to other studies, obesity has been related to hip and low back pain in middle-aged men,17 whereas in rural communities, it causes more disability to patients with knee OA.18Working for many years was correlated to shoulder and elbow pain. More comprehensive surveys that included physical and psychosocial work factors, such as work intensity or working postures, have previously shown associations with MSDs,6 but these were not explored in our study.Unlike other epidemiological evidence which relates MSDs to physically demanding professions like farming,19 occupation did not statistically relate to any MSD. However, analysing the positive answers for all occupational groups, we found that the majority of participants carried on with their daily functions, independently of their job, despite the occurrence of multiple musculoskeletal problems. Cultural or local social network variables, not included in this study, could play a role in the perceived limitations of activity for this population.20Other social factors, such as living alone or low education, were not found to affect the reported patterns of pain, which comes in agreement with other studies.21The clinical co-morbidity rate was high. Patients with OA, COPD, diabetes, hypertension or CAD tended to report more musculoskeletal symptoms. Co-morbidities with MSDs were also shown to prevent their daily activities. Co-morbidity for OA in general practice has also been found to be extensive with musculoskeletal as well as non-musculoskeletal conditions in the UK.22 Patterns of co-morbidity in the Dutch population have shown that MSDs were most likely to coincide with lung and heart diseases, neurological disorders, diabetes and cancer.23 The explanation for the perceived co-morbidity lies beyond the present study in shared pathology of diseases or the impact which one condition might have in the occurrence of another. However, the recognition of this large extent of co-morbidity has implications for the way in which primary care should be organized. The burden is on primary care physicians to provide the majority of care, not only for the target condition but also for all co-morbid conditions.Another interesting point was that only 13 out of 74 who reported musculoskeletal symptoms were actually seeking care at the time of the study. On an annual basis, 32% of this sample had contacted a primary care physician because of musculoskeletal pain which can be considered high in comparison with other studies,4 although it corresponds to less than half of the same population reporting MSDs in the NMQ. The more concurrent chronic conditions they had, the more likely they were to have consulted their GP and complain for MSDs, too. Those were mainly older patients with higher education suffering from OA and hypertension that came complaining for knee or shoulder pain. Similarly, another study in a rural Swedish population showed that only one-fifth of those reporting current neck and/or low back pain had a primary care consultation.24 Possible explanations could be either the poor registration rates of primary care physicians who underestimate the symptoms or that symptoms are not severe enough to be reported. A recent report on primary care consultations due to indigestion problems in the same district showed under diagnosis of functional gastrointestinal disorders by physicians.25 However, a recent European study involving eight countries regarding musculoskeletal pain showed that up to 27% of people with pain do not seek medical care in spite of constant or daily pain.26 The disbelief or ignorance of effective treatments for MSDs could prevent patients from consulting a health professional.23 Even when they do seek help, this is often limited to prescription for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), which result in non-compliance to their treatment.26 In fact, according to a previous study conducted in the same district, prescriptions for painkillers and NSAIDS ranked second accounting for 19% of prescriptions during 1-year period.27 To overcome the doctors' difficulty in identifying those diseases, a change in doctor–patient communication with an emphasis on patients' perceptions and needs seems as a promising option.26Strengths and weaknessSeveral concerns should be raised when discussing study findings. Overestimating prevalence due to sampling method is one issue: our sample was probably overrepresented by patients with multiple morbidities waiting to see their physicians. High prevalence of MSDs has been documented in many studies, especially when self-administered questionnaires are being used for data collection.28 People tend to recall the most recent or most debilitating painful conditions when asked to complete questionnaires. Whether or not the reported symptoms were major or minor cannot be explored through the NMQ.Although the NMQ has been used in a great number of studies in different countries,29 it still has several limitations. Since NMQ is counting symptoms throughout the human body, the estimated prevalence is expected to be high. Most general population studies focus on special anatomic sites, while others deal with specific occupational groups.30,31 The used questionnaire seems to be appropriate for general screening in occupational groups, without permitting further discrimination. For example, the pain in the hips, considering the area marked as ‘hip/thighs’ in the picture of NMQ is unclear if it is actually a hip problem or originates from the low back area and reflects at the hips. Moreover, the use of a picture of the back aspect of the body may not allow problems in the frontal aspect to be revealed.The timing of data collection did not seem to have an effect on the measured prevalence. Data from one PCC that was collected during 10 working days in spring did not show a seasonal variation for the reported MSDs.Although the sample size reflected the underlying population i.e. the general population of rural primary care in Crete (95% confidence level and 95% CI 7%), limitations should be taken into account interpreting the results for co-morbidities and consulting behaviour since the data came only from one PCC (n  =  175).ConclusionsIn conclusion, this study showed that musculoskeletal pain is very common in the rural population of Crete. GPs need to be alert and well skilled in order to prevent or identify early the musculoskeletal problems. The observed patterns of co-morbidity highlight the need for primary care oriented towards patients' overall health care. 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