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Global Health Econ Sustain Social support and health in musculoskeletal disorders

that accelerate the progression of musculoskeletal diseases continuous shortening of telomeres that eventually results
are related to lifestyle, type of work (heavy manual work, in apoptosis, reduction of DNA methylation, oxidative
standing, poor posture), lack of sleep, fatigue, diet, age, stress, ionizing and ultraviolet radiations, tumorigenic
gender, and lack of physical exercise as well as pre-existing activity, mitochondrial malformations, and epigenetic
conditions (Minetto et al., 2020; Theofilou et al., 2022). modifications as well as environmental factors (Perry et al.,
2002; Reddy, 2011; Xu & Teixeira, 2019).
Disorders affecting joints include osteoarthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and ankylosing The number of pathological conditions that can occur
spondylitis. The most common muscular disorder is increases with the age of a person. Some of them are Type 2
sarcopenia, while the common bone diseases include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, atherosclerosis,
osteoporosis, osteopenia, and fractures due to disease or kidney failure, and neurodegenerative diseases such as
injury. Furthermore, tendinopathy is a common disorder, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Aging is strongly related to
especially in hands, causing pain, reduced load bearing the reduction of an individual’s functionality, which poses
capacity and reduced functionality. Musculoskeletal diseases difficulty to fully satisfy basic needs, increases risks for
can affect more than one area or system of the human diseases, and reduces survivability. The elderly are often
body. This happens either locally as with the pain in the characterized by lack of energy, mental impairment, and
waist or neck, or extensive as in the case of fibromyalgia or impaired perception and memory. These impediments
some inflammatory conditions; for example, the systemic negatively, and to a large extent, affect the interpersonal
lupus erythematosus or an amputation can cause further relationships, autonomy as well as psychosynthesis of the
musculoskeletal damage through vasculitis and connective affected individuals (Calcinotto et al., 2019; Reddy, 2011).
tissue inflammation. Injuries due to vulnerability are often a During the transition to Third Age, older adults report
consequence of musculoskeletal diseases, further burdening having fewer friendships and social relationships compared
the patient’s condition (Minetto et al., 2020; World Health with when they were younger adults (Hung et al., 2017;
Organization, 2022). Miaskowski et al., 2020). Based on research, loneliness

The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders increases prevails in the elderly at a rate of over 43% and is a precursor
with age; however, they can occur at any age, either of undesirable conditions such as mortality (Perissinotto
suddenly and for a short period of time as in the cases of et al., 2012), while it has been shown that the occurrence
fractures, sprains, low back pain, or for over a period of of chronic pain is closely related to loneliness and social
years as in the case of osteoarthritis. These disorders are isolation (Emerson et al., 2018). Another study in older
usually characterized by pain, which is persistent in many adults showed that reduced social support was associated
cases, and are responsible for an increased risk of falls, with higher rates of pain intensity (Richmond et al., 2018).
reduced mobility, and even disability. Due to the increase The purpose of this study is to investigate the opinions
in life expectancy, the number of elderly people with these of elderly people with musculoskeletal health problems on
disorders is increasing. The Global Burden of Disease pain self-efficacy, perceived social support, and health locus
program showed that approximately 1.71 billion people of control. More specifically, the following research question
worldwide suffer from musculoskeletal conditions, such as is investigated: “How do the elderly with musculoskeletal
low back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid health problems evaluate their pain self-efficacy and social
arthritis, in 2019 (Minetto et al., 2020; World Health support as well as health locus of control and what factors
Organization, 2022). (sociodemographic and clinical) influence them?”
By current definition, the old age is often associated
with the Third Age, during which a multitude of changes 2. Methods
occur in the individuals at every level. It is challenging to A quantitative and cross-sectional study adopting
determine the exact time when old age begins because aging social support, pain self-efficacy, and health locus of
is a unique and complex biological process, although old control as dependent variables, as well as clinical and
age is typically set at the 65 year of one’s life. Aging refers sociodemographic characteristics as independent
th
to the inevitable, gradual decline of operating mechanisms variables, was conducted. A sample of 106 elderly people
of the body systems, such as cardiovascular system, with musculoskeletal health problems was recruited.
musculoskeletal system, and more. It is a progressive, Elderly people with other significant health problems,
irreversible condition where degenerative processes other than musculoskeletal ones, were excluded from this
alter cellular and tissue functions, resulting in physical, study. The subjects were enrolled from the “Help at Home”
mental, and psychological disorders. Various theories program and the Elderly Care Unit Center (K.A.P.H) in the
attribute the cause of aging to an array of factors, such as area of Patras during the period of April to June 2023.

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.1412