Comparative analysis of the musculoskeletal health of the populations of Poland and Spain: a cross-sectional study using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Abstract

Background Musculoskeletal disorders affect approximately 1.71 billion people worldwide and are a growing cause of disability. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is the current framework for describing disability and provides a codification system that can be used to compare data across populations. The availability of comparable data would allow a better understanding of the determinants of health and improve the health of the population. The aim of the study was to make an ICF-based comparison between musculoskeletal health in Poland and Spain. Methods A comparative study was conducted to identify cross-cultural differences between Poland and Spain in the prevalence of ICF entities from the brief ICF core set for post-acute musculoskeletal conditions. Two datasets from previous validation studies in these populations were used for comparison. A total of 840 people with musculoskeletal conditions were included in the study. Information was recoded into ICF qualifiers to obtain comparable data. Statistical analysis included: a) calculation of absolute and relative frequencies on the prevalence of ICF entities, and b) calculation of the level of significance using the Mann-Whitney test for quantitative variables and the Chi-square test for qualitative variables. Results Significant differences in functioning were found between the two samples, with a higher prevalence in all the ICF entities for the Spanish sample. Similarities were found in the ICF components ‘Body Functions’ and ‘environmental factors’, with the most prevalent ICF entities being ‘b280 Sensation of pain’ (86.9% in Spain and 74.2% in Poland) and ‘e225 Climate’ (58.0% and 31.8%) respectively. For ‘Activities and Participation’, differences were observed, with ‘d430 Lifting and carrying objects’ being the most common for the Spanish sample (65.4%) and ‘d450 Walking’ for the Polish sample (47.7%). Conclusions A theoretical application of the ICF has been empirically tested for the first time, a milestone in the development of this research methodology. Differences in the prevalence of ICF entities showed a better musculoskeletal health in the Polish sample. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of different health care models has the potential to improve population health by implementing best practice-based approaches. Trial registration NCT06283407