MUSCULOSKELETAL MATTERS – BULLETIN 10
Key findings
Further analysis of potential explanations
showed that partners who:
y y have consulted about a
MSK condition
y y have consulted about a mood or
anxiety condition
y y are frequent consulters
y y share a higher level of deprivation
Percentage of index patients who have
musculoskeletal conditions, according
to risk factor status of index patient
and partner
No shared risk factors
Partner has risk factor
Both have risk factor
all independently increase the odds of a
MSK consultation in the index patient.
Taking mood as an example from
the graph to the right, the figures
mean that:
y y when neither partner has a mood
problem the prevalence of MSK
conditions in index patients is 30%
49%
41%
33%
27%
36%
36%
30%
40%
These findings illustrate the wider
influence of shared risk on consultations
for MSK conditions in Primary Care.
MSK in
partner
37%
30%
30%
24%
y y when the partner, but not the
patient, has a mood problem, MSK
prevalence in index patients is 36%
y y when both partners have a mood
problem, MSK prevalence is 41% in
the index patient
37%
Mood
Anxiety
Health
behaviour
Environment
Implications
These interesting results have potential direct
relevance to primary care:
1) Partners of those with MSK pain have a higher chance of
having pain themselves, and so MSK is a potential issue for
“Family Health”
2) Partners’ general health and mood may be linked to
patients’ MSK pain, with potential consequences for both
partner (e.g. caring role) and patient (e.g. coping)
3) These findings highlight the potential to conduct further
research on the benefits of managing MSK at the couple
and/or family level
Reference
Campbell P, Shraim M, Jordan K, Dunn K (2015). In sickness and in health: a cross-sectional analysis of concordance for musculoskeletal
consultations in 13,507 couples. (early view: European Journal of Pain doi:10.1002/ejp.744)
This research was supported by the Wellcome Trust [083572].
These Bulletins are designed to provide information for general practitioners, the primary care team, teachers, trainers and policy makers about
musculoskeletal problems in practice.
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