Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and impact on physical function and health care services in Belterra/PA

Abstract

Introduction: Musculoskeletal pain worth being investigated for being a multidimensional prevalent phenomenon, difficult to be understood which may have as main factors: tissue injury as well as emotional, social and environmental aspects. It is essential to know the specificity of the pain to define strategies for disease prevention and health promotion of the population. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, describing its features and functional implications in population from Belterra/Pará. Method: In a descriptive study, there were evaluated subjects who participated in activities of the project Bandeira Científica. Prevalence of pain was estimated with a confidence interval of 95%. Descriptive measures were used to characterize pain and consequences for functionality. Results: 453 subjects were interviewed, the mean age was 44.3 years old (SD = 18.0) and 69.6% were women. Prevalence of chronic pain was 62.5% and of back pain was 55.0%. Almost daily pain was felt by 67.9% and by 69.6% the intensity was strong or unbearable during crisis. Individuals with unbearable intensity and daily frequency of symptoms reported difficulty to perform heavy activities (91.5%) and to remain in the same position (82.9%). Conclusion: The prevalence of pain was high, of chronic feature, with high intensity and high frequency, long duration, most frequently in the vertebral column. The pain had interference in the performance of heavy activities and maintaining the same posture in people with greater intensity and frequency of pain.