Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with chronic musculoskeletal disorders in Brazil: a network analysis of a population-based study involving 87,648 Brazilian adults.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSKDs) are the leading cause of disability worldwide. The associations between socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and MSKDs have been widely studied in Europe and North America. However, little data are available about their relationship in Latin America.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of chronic MSKDs in Brazil and assess their relationship with socioeconomic and lifestyle factors.

Design: This is a cross-sectional study, based on a subanalysis of the open-access database from the Brazilian National Health Survey 2019. This survey was a nationwide, cross-sectional, door-to-door study that included 87,648 adults and was conducted between 2019 and 2020.

Methods: Prevalence estimates were based on weighted sample strata, and the relationship between MSKD and socioeconomic and lifestyle factors was examined through network analysis and weighted Poisson regression models with robust variance.

Results: The weighted prevalence of chronic MSKDs was estimated at 26.1% (95% confidence interval, 25.5%-26.8%). In the network analysis, including all socioeconomic and lifestyle variables, MSKDs prevalence was notably linked to higher body mass index, drinking, smoking, and low income. In the regression models, MSKD prevalence was associated with obesity, sleep disorders, smoking, alcohol consumption, and depression, and inversely associated with physical activity, even after controlling for the sociodemographic disparities.

Conclusion: This study identifies specific socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with MSKDs and highlights the need for immediate national health promotion programs focused on MSKDs prevention through targeted lifestyle modifications, especially in populations belonging to the lower-income strata in Brazil.