One-Year Prevalence of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in a Large Adult Norwegian County Population: Relations with Age and Gender–The HUNT Study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal complaints [MSCs] at ten different anatomical sites in a large unselected adult population in relation to age, gender, level of daily activity, and sick leave status.Methods: Between 1995 and 1997, all 92,936 inhabitants 20 years and older in Nord-Trondelag county in Norway were invited to participate in a comprehensive health survey. Out of 66,140 participants, a total of 64,690 [70 percent] responded to questions concerning musculoskeletal symptoms.Results: The overall [women and men] age-adjusted one-year prevalence of chronic MSCs defined as pain lasting for at least three months was 44.6 percent [95 percent CI 44.4–44.9 percent]. Among women, the prevalence was 48.8 [95 percent CI 48.4–49.1 percent], and among men was 40.4 [95 percent CI 40.0–40.9 percent]. The highest age-adjusted prevalence was found for shoulder pain [18.1 percent] and lowest for chest/stomach pain [4.4 percent]. The age-adjusted prevalence of chronic widespread pain...