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Table 10 Description of studies on wrist and hand pain

From: What is the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems in the elderly population in developed countries? A systematic critical literature review

 

First author Publ. year Country

Study design / Population / Method of collection

Sample size

Crude response rate (%)

Outcome definition

Outcome assessment method

Prevalence period

Age

Prevalence* (95% CI)

Risk of bias

   

Total

M

F

     

M

F

Total

 

Hand pain

Keenan [73] 2006 UK

1993, (55+ yo), a two-stage random sample from the North Yorkshire Family Health Services Authority. Postal questionnaire

16222

?

?

86

Any swelling, pain, or stiffness in any of their joints that lasted >6 weeks in the previous 3 months. (identified on a manikin)

Self report

3 months

65-74

14.2 (13.0-15.6)

23.3 (21.8-24.9)

19.2 (17.8-20.6)

L

75+

11.6 (10.4-12.8)

25.3 (23.7-26.8)

20.6 (19.1-22.1)

Hand pain

Thomas [87] 2004 UK

(50+ yo), all patients from three GPs from the North Staffordshire Primary Care Research Consortium (the NorStOP). Postal questionnaire

7878

?

?

70

“In the past 4 weeks have you had pain that has lasted for one day or longer in any part of your body?” [supplemented by a full body manikin]

Self report

One month

60-69

  

25.6

U

70-79

20.2

80+

16.9

Wrist pain

Parsons [77] 2007 UK

2001-3, (18+ yo), random samples from 16 Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework practices, South East quadrant of the UK. Postal questionnaire

2501

1347

1154

47

The Chronic Pain Grade: Any ‘pain which has lasted for 3 months or longer and currently troubles respondents either all of the time or on and off'

Self report

3 months

65-74

  

4

U

75-101

3

Wrist/hand pain

Yaron [86] 2011 Israel

2002, 2006, 2008, (20+ yo), stratified sample drawn from a telephone database on different population sectors. Telephone interview + questionnaire

2520

47%

53%

59-66

The Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases core questionnaire (CCQ): “In the past 7 days have you experienced pain in any of the following sites: [hands/wrists]?”

Self report

One week

61+

  

33.0

U

Wrist/ hand pain

Gummesson [89] 2003 Sweden

1997, (25–74 yo), stratified randomised sample from the Swedish population register in southern Sweden. Postal questionnaire

2466

?

?

82

Chronic pain: ‘Where is the pain, numbness, or tingling located and since when have you had the symptoms?’ [wrist/hand, since 3 months]

Self report

Point

65-74

2.1

14.9

 

U

Wrist/ hand pain

Picavet [78] 2003 The Netherlands

1998, (25+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population register (the DMC3-study). Postal questionnaire

3664

45%

55%

46

[Wrist/hand] pain during the survey

Self report

Point

65+

9.7 (7.3-12.1)

22.5 (19.1-25.9)

 

L

  1. *Prevalence estimates without decimals are obtained from figures/graphs in the article and should be interpreted with caution.
  2. L: Low, U: Unclear, H: High.
  3. GP: General practitioner; ACR: The American College of Rheumatology (ACR clinical criteria for RA [22]).