A Review of Community-Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases Studies from India

Abstract

Abstract Background: Community-Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) is a global community-based program, emphasizing prevalence data. In India, it has been headed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR), and the Bone and Joint Decade (BJD), India. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) also utilized the COPCORD methodology. This study aimed to review Indian COPCORD data. Methods: PubMed, COPCORD website, conference proceedings, and citations were searched from inception to 2022. Search terms included WHO-ILAR, COPCORD, and India. Studies conducted in India and available in English were included. Abstracts from journal supplements or conference proceedings were included if they studied the Indian population. Results: Bhigwan, Pune, Bikaner, Lucknow, Calicut, and Trivandrum studies were published as full-length articles. Soft-tissue rheumatism showed a higher prevalence than most diseases everywhere. The appraisal checklist found a few lacunae in the description of the study setting and statistical analysis clarity. Bhigwan had a high prevalence of “ill-defined diagnosis” (6.25%). Osteoarthritis (OA) knee had a prevalence of 10.6% in Lucknow urban. RA prevalence was 2.54% in Bikaner. Pune exhibited the highest OA prevalence (6.25%). Age and gender were important risk factors in the Calicut study. Trivandrum found that functional impairment impacted workability and finances. Malappuram reported higher rheumatic musculoskeletal disease (RMSD) in women (70%). Conclusion: COPCORD studies were the first to highlight the burden of RMSD in India. Nonclinical aspects such as architecture and living conditions have been described. Further research regarding functional ability, work disability, and psychosocial factors is recommended. Future scope to look at economic aspects and environmental risk factors remains.