Prevalence of the Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome and Its Associated Factors in People Between 15 and 80 Years in Kerman: A Population-based Study on 1700 Individuals

Background Musculoskeletal pain syndromes (MSPSs) are of the most common disorders in modern societies. Lack of early diagnosis and treatment of this syndrome may lead to significant disabilities later in life. Objectives Due to shortage of information regarding the prevalence and related factors of MSPS in the south-east of Iran, this study aimed at determining MSPS and its relation to demographic variables and underlying diseases such as diabetes and hypertension in this area. Methods This across sectional population-based study was conducted on 1700 individuals (15 - 80 years), who participated in the second phase of Kerman coronary artery disease risk factor study (KERCADRs), in Kerman, Iran, in 2016. A questionnaire containing demographic information, opium use, smoking and MSPS was completed. Blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipid levels were also measured. Results From a total of 1700 participants, 41.6% were males and 58.4% were females. The mean age of the participants was 47.8 years. The overall prevalence of MSPS was 65.5% that was more prevalent in women and increased with advancing age approaching the highest prevalence in the group above 75 years (78.4%) (adjusted odds ratio, AOR > 1.6). The prevalence increased with diabetes (AOR 1.5), overweight and obesity (OR 1.6, 2.2), and depression and anxiety (AOR 1.5, 2.3). In multivariate analysis, MSPS had no relationship with smoking, opium consumption, hypertension, level of education and dyslipidemia. Conclusions Overall, more than 65% of the population over 15 years in Kerman suffer from MSPSs. If the rate of such complications is not reduced, this can exert heavy health-care costs on the Iranian health system given the existing trend of increase in the age and age-related diseases in the population.