Relationship between musculoskeletal body region pain complaints, depression and physical activity level in major hospitals of Abbottabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction/Aim The growing recognition of musculoskeletal disorders in the northern region of Pakistan, specifically Abbottabad, lacks contextually relevant data for devising effective prevention and intervention strategies in the mitigation of MSDs burden. This study aims to explore the relationship between musculoskeletal body region pain complaints, depression and physical activity of those visiting major hospitals in Abbottabad. Methodology The cross-sectional study design aimed to determine the incidence of MSDs (NMQ: Nordic Musculoskeletal complaints rating questionnaire) in 384 female participants in Abbottabad. Informed consent was obtained from all the subjects. Secondly, the relationship between MSD regions, depression (PHQ-9: patient depression questionnaire) and physical activity (IPAQ: International Physical Activity Questionnaire) was sought via phi value, Cramer's V value and logistic regression. Results The incidence of MSDs was noticeably higher in females above 40 years of age and who were employees. There was a significant (p < 0.05) negative weak to moderate correlation (Phi − 0.103 to -0.148) between employment and MSDs regions. In contrast, depression and physical activities had a significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation (Cramer's V: 0.129 to 0.225) with the upper back, shoulders and elbow. Individuals who were depressed were more likely to complain about their upper back and shoulders (OR 1.4, p < 0.01). Conclusion A significant relationship was observed between depression and MSDs. Higher musculoskeletal pain complaints were noticed in females who were not employees. The study suggested that awareness and multi-dimensional interventions addressing physical, psychological and social barriers are required for prevention and decrease in MSD complaints.