The impact of age, body mass index and addiction in association with musculoskeletal complain among post-menopausal women at a selected rural village in Bangladesh

Aims: Very little evidence found in Bangladesh about post-menopausal women’s health. ‘noncommunicable’ disease like musculoskeletal complain, chest pain is a challenging problem among post-menopausal women which is not revealed previously in Bangladesh. This study was aimed to document the ‘post menopause’ related musculoskeletal symptoms which are being associated with vulnerable age group, body mass index and addiction. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study design was chosen to accomplish the objectives of the study. 100 subjects were selected conveniently from a selected rural village at Bastupur at Chuadanga district in Bangladesh. Semi-structured pretested preformed questionnaires were used to collect the data. The participants of all ‘post Rebeka Sultana1, Sapia Akter2, Md. Shahoriar Ahmed3, K M Amran Hossain4, Farjana Tawhid5, S. M. Iftekhar Alam6 Affiliations: 1MPH, ASA University, Clinical Physiotherapist, BRAC limb and Brace Centre (BLBC); 2MPH, Consultant Physiotherapist, ASPC Manipulation Therapy Centre, Bangladesh; 3MPH, ASA University, Project Coordinator, BPA-Towards Global Health-Handicap international (HI); 4BPT, Physiotherapist, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Dhaka; 5MRS, Dhaka University, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Dhaka; 6MGDS-Jahangirnagor University, Physiotherapist, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Dhaka. Corresponding Author: S. M. Iftekhar Alam, MGDS-Jahangirnagor University, Physiotherapist, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Dhaka 1343; Email: ifte5690@gmail.com Received: 05 November 2018 Accepted: 28 December 2018 Published: 23 February 2019 menopause’ women according to inclusion criteria were requested to answer the developed format of the question. Results: In the study, the vulnerable age group was women in their fifth decade of life onwards (32%) and majority of them were housewife (99%) completed primary education (47%), living with their husband (74%) and widow (24%). In women with 55-59 years, the common health problem complained as disturbance in sleeping (28%), experience of depression (32%), and poor memory (34%). The musculoskeletal complaints were diverse joint limitations as finger (21%), hip (25%), postural deformity of spine in some extend. Low back pain and knee pain was most common complaint in pre and post menopause state although more eminent in post menopause state representing 56% and 29%. Among the respondents, more than one third intakes jorda or tobacco leaf and experiences sharp chest pain that is eminent in statistical significance (p=.002). One third of the respondents experienced musculoskeletal complaints before menopause for 0-6 months and nine out of ten respondents experienced post-menopausal musculoskeletal complications with other co-morbidities. Conclusion: This is the maiden attempt to screen musculoskeletal complaint among post-menopausal women living in a village in a developing country in south east Asia. Bangladesh has been appreciated globally for an attempt in elevating the maternity and women’s health issues. Hence, the impairments in elderly women needs to be focused and acted accordingly to enable successful and healthy ageing in a developing country like Bangladesh.