© 1996 Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom
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The prevalence of and risk factors for neck pain in Hong Kong Chinese
E. M. C. Lau, Associate Professor
A. Sham, Research Assistant
K. C. Wong, Medical Student
Department of Community and Family Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong
Address correspondence to Dr E. M. C. Lau, at Department of Community Medicine, The Chinese University, 4th Floor, Lek Yuen Health Centre, Shatin, Hong Kong
BACKGROUND: Neck pain has been found to be a prevalent musculoskeletal complaint among Caucasians living in Europe and North America. The prevalence of and risk factors for this condition have not been studied among Chinese living in urbanised cities. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of and risk factors for neck pain in Hong Kong Chinese.
METHODS: A household survey was conducted in two housing blocks, one being government-subvented housing and the other being private housing. Eight hundred men and women who were 30 years and older were interviewed on the occurrence and characteristics of neck pain, occupations and recreational activities. The life-time and one-year prevalence of neck pain were calculated, and the odds ratio (OR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (95 percent Cl) for various risk factors were derived by logistic regression.
RESULTS: The one-year prevalence of neck pain was 15 percent and 17 per cent in men and women, respectively. The OR was 1•6 (95 per cent Cl = 1•2–2•4) for living in private housing and 2•1 (95 per cent Cl = 1•1–4•0) for working as managers and professionals. Subjects with neck pain spent more time reading, and a history of trauma to the neck was a significant risk factor for subsequent pain (OR = 5•6, 95 percent Cl = 3•3–9•4).
CONCLUSION: Neck pain is a prevalent problem in Hong Kong Chinese, particularly among subjects of a high socioeconomic status. There was little association between lifestyle and neck pain, although subjects with neck pain spent more time in reading.
Keywords: neck pain, Chinese, prevalence, risk factors
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