Prevalence and risk factors of neck pain among middle-aged and older adults in China: a cross-sectional study from the CHARLS cohort.

Aim: To investigate neck pain prevalence and risk factors pain in China.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Setting: Nationwide study conducted in China.

Population: Adults aged 45 years or older.

Methods: The data for the study were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. A total of 19816 representative subjects were selected by multi-stage stratified sampling method. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify potential risk factors for neck pain.

Results: The estimated prevalence of neck pain among Chinese people over 45 was 18.93% (95% CI 18.32-19.55). Neck pain prevalence significantly differed according to sex, with an overall rate of 12.26% in men and 25.04% in women (P<0.001 for sex difference). Risk factors for neck pain included female (odds ratio [OR] 1.83, 95% CI 1.61-2.08), depression (1.23, 1.06-1.42), short sleep time (1.48,1.31-1.68), more than one chronic condition (1.18, 1.04-1.35), headache (4.83, 4.28-5.47), poor health status (2.93, 2.18-3.92), limitation of physical activity (1.37,1.21-1.57) and activity of daily living (1.48, 1.31-1.68). A lower risk of neck pain was associated with age over 75 and illiterate.

Conclusions: The Prevalence of neck pain in China is relatively high. These results may help to develop proper prevention and treatment measures for patients with neck pain.

Clinical rehabilitation impact: Our study provides insights for rehabilitating neck pain in adults aged 45 or older, aiding targeted interventions and preventive measures.