ArticleFrontiers in public health2026
The pain-comorbidity links: a cross-sectional analysis of musculoskeletal burden in Saudi older adults.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background: Musculoskeletal pain and noncommunicable diseases are major contributors to disability among adults aged ≥50 years, yet their coexistence and modifying factors are not well characterized in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to estimate age-group-specific prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, identify independent predictors of site-specific and multisite pain and of major morbidities, and evaluate effect modification among adults ≥50 years. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was administered to participants aged ≥50 years. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), morbidities, and musculoskeletal pain sites were collected. Results: Among 298 participants (mean age 58.2 ± 6.3 years; 47.0% overweight; 32.9% obese), musculoskeletal pain was reported by 73.2%, most commonly at the lower back (30.9%), knee (26.2%), neck (23.8%), and shoulder (21.8%). Hypertension (29.5%) and diabetes (28.2%) were the most prevalent morbidities; multimorbidity was present in 24.5% of participants. Female sex was the most consistent predictor across pain sites, with higher odds for low back pain (OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.60-5.00; Conclusion: Musculoskeletal pain co-occurring with cardiometabolic conditions was common among older adults in Saudi Arabia. Female sex consistently predicted pain, and obesity was more strongly associated with hypertension. Effect-modification patterns identify high-risk strata; therefore, routine cardiometabolic screening should be incorporated into musculoskeletal management, with first-line non-pharmacologic care and targeted counselling for obese women and smokers.
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