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Table 2 Prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints i by gender and body region affected in an adult general population in Northern Norway

From: High prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal complaints among women in a Norwegian general population: the Tromsø study

  

Prevalence (%)

  

Body region

N=8,439

Total (95% CI)

Women

Men

Gender ratio

p *

Neck/shoulder

  No complaints

4,809

57.0 (55.9-58.0)

50.2

63.7

0.79

 

  Mild complaints

2,882

34.2 (33.1-35.2)

38.2

30.1

1.27

 

  Severe complaints

748

8.9 (8.3-9.5)

11.6

6.1

1.89

<0.001

Arm/hands

 No complaints

5,936

70.7 (69.7-71.6)

63.8

77.5

0.82

 

  Mild complaints

2,028

24.0 (23.1-24.9)

28.8

19.2

1.50

 

  Severe complaints

448

5.3 (4.8-5.8)

7.3

3.3

2.25

<0.001

Upper back

 No complaints

6,674

79.1 (78.2-80.0)

72.6

85.6

0.85

 

  Mild complaints

1,477

17.5 (16.7-18.3)

22.4

12.6

1.78

 

  Severe complaints

288

3.4 (3.0-3.4)

5.0

1.8

2.84

<0.001

Lumbar back

 No complaints

5,573

66.0 (65.0-67.0)

63.2

68.9

0.92

 

  Mild complaints

2,395

28.4 (27.4-29.3)

29.7

27.0

1.10

 

  Severe complaints

471

5.6 (5.1-6.1)

7.1

4.1

1.75

<0.001

Hip/leg/feet

 No complaints

5,576

66.1 (65.1-57.1)

59.4

72.7

0.82

 

  Mild complaints

2,309

27.4 (26.4-28.3)

31.8

22.9

1.39

 

  Severe complaints

555

6.6 (6.0-7.1)

8.7

4.4

1.98

<0.001

Other regions

 No complaints

7,722

91.5 (90.9-92.1)

88.9

94.1

0.94

 

  Mild complaints

613

7.3 (6.7-7.8)

9.2

5.3

1.74

 

  Severe complaints

104

1.2 (1.0-1.5)

1.9

0.5

3.52

<0.001

  1. iDefined as having pain and/or stiffness in muscles and joints at least 3 months during the previous year.
  2. *Pearson chi-square for gender difference.
  3. CI: confidence interval.
  4. The Tromsø Study.