The Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Chinese older Adults in the Greater Chicago Area—Findings from the PINE Study

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders affect many older adults and are a major public health concern due to rising prevalence. However, there is a paucity of research regarding the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in minority older adults, especially in older Chinese adults in the U.S. This study aims to provide an overall estimate on the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among Chinese older adults in the U.S. and examine the correlations between sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported health measures, and musculoskeletal symptoms. Data was collected through the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE) study. This community-based participatory research study surveyed a total of 3,159 Chinese older adults aged 60 and above. Review of Systems (ROS) was used to assess individual perceptions of musculoskeletal symptoms. We found 67% of participants experience musculoskeletal symptoms. Muscle or joint pain (55.3%) and back pain (34.5%) were the most prevalent types of symptoms. Being female (<em>r</em> = 0.18), having lower education (<em>r</em> = 0.15), living fewer years in the community (<em>r</em> = 0.05), having a lower overall health status (<em>r</em> = 0.22), and having a lower quality of life (<em>r</em> = 0.08) were all significantly correlated with reporting musculoskeletal symptoms. Our findings show that musculoskeletal symptoms are a common health concern among Chinese older adults, and that certain subsets of the population, related to sociodemographic factors, are more likely to experience these symptoms. Future longitudinal studies should be conducted to determine causality as well as changes in musculoskeletal symptoms burden.