Musculoskeletal disorders among the population in Northwest Ethiopia

This study aimed to assess the magnitude and patterns of chronic musculoskeletal disorders among the population in East Gojjam zone, Northwest Ethiopia.

A community-based cross-sectional study with 846 recruited study participants was done using a multistage sampling technique in conjunction with a simple and systematic random sampling technique. Face-to-face interviews, physical examinations, a semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases, and other literature were used to collect data. EpiData 3.1 was used to enter the data, which were then exported to STATA 14.0 for analysis.

The study had a response rate of 98.8%, with about 836 people out of a total of 846 expected to take part. The magnitude of musculoskeletal disorders was found to be 40.1%. Back pain was the most common musculoskeletal condition (16%) of the population, followed by osteoarthritis (10%) and other forms of arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis (8%), gout arthritis (6%)). The most common comorbidity (multimorbidity) patterns were hypertension (9.8%), diabetes (5.6%), obesity (3.9%), and others (2.2%).

Almost one in four participants have at least one musculoskeletal disorder in Northwest Ethiopia. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, low back pain, and gout arthritis were the most common musculoskeletal disorders. The most common comorbidity patterns were hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and others. An in-depth investigation of the musculoskeletal burden at the national level will be critical for implementing evidence-based strategies, as well as early detection and screening, linking to health institutions, and direct interventions.