Prevalence and Associated Factors of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Older Patients Treated at Walailak University Physical Therapy Clinic in Thailand: A Retrospective Study

Chadapa Rungruangbaiyok, Parinya Vongvaivanichakul, Charupa Lektip, Wanwisa Sutara, Pathanin Jumpathong, Eiji Miyake, Keiichiro Aoki and Weeranan Yaemrattanakul ()
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Chadapa Rungruangbaiyok: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, Movement Science and Exercise Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat 80160, Thailand
Parinya Vongvaivanichakul: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, Movement Science and Exercise Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat 80160, Thailand
Charupa Lektip: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, Movement Science and Exercise Research Center, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat 80160, Thailand
Wanwisa Sutara: Walailak Physical Therapy Clinic, School of Allied Health Sciences, Movement Science, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat 80160, Thailand
Pathanin Jumpathong: Walailak Physical Therapy Clinic, School of Allied Health Sciences, Movement Science, Walailak University, Nakhonsithammarat 80160, Thailand
Eiji Miyake: Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences, Showa University, Yokohama-shi 226-8555, Kanagawa, Japan
Keiichiro Aoki: Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences, Showa University, Yokohama-shi 226-8555, Kanagawa, Japan
Weeranan Yaemrattanakul: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 9, 1-13

Abstract: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is high among older adults worldwide, significantly affecting their quality of life and overall health. Understanding the prevalence of MSDs and their associated factors is crucial to developing effective preventive and management strategies in Thailand. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of MSDs and their associated factors among older patients at Walailak University Physical Therapy Clinic. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the medical records of 396 older patients. Data on demographics, underlying diseases, career types, and treatments were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics chi-squared tests, and logistic regression analysis to determine their associations with MSD prevalence. The overall prevalence of MSDs was 89.90%. MSD prevalence was higher among female patients than among male patients ( p < 0.001). The most commonly affected body regions were the lower back, shoulders, and knees. Career type ( p < 0.001) had the highest impact on the presence of MSDs after controlling for sex, age, and underlying diseases as covariates in a logistic regression model. Manual labor and heavy industry workers as well as pensioners showed an increased risk of MSDs. While older age was associated with a higher MSD prevalence using chi-squared statistics, it was removed from the logistic regression models. Pensioners were the most likely to receive treatment, indicating the need for targeted interventions for individuals with physically demanding occupations. These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions and further research on socioeconomic factors, lifestyle behaviors, and comorbidities to manage MSDs among older adults in Thailand.

Keywords: musculoskeletal disorders; older adults; prevalence; quality of life; health; Thailand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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