Examination of the Patient’s Locomotor System Disability Evaluated in the Board of Health for Disabled

• Main Authors: Rabia Terzi, Firuzan Altın
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2014-08-01
• Series: Türk Osteoporoz Dergisi
• Subjects: Physical disability; musculoskeletal anomaly; disability evaluation
• Online Access: http://www.turkosteoporozdergisi.org/article_7256/Examination-Of-The-Patients-Locomotor-System-Disability-Evaluated-In-The-Board-Of

Objective: Our goal was to evaluate patients who admitted to Board of Health for Disabled in our hospital, and evaluate the characteristics and disability rates of patients with locomotor disability. Also to examine its co-occurrence with other system disabilities, the whole body function loss rates and the distribution of these parameters according to age. Materials and Methods: Medical records of 2263 cases admitted to the Board of Health in Derince Training and Research Hospital were retrospectively analyzed between March 2012 and March 2013. Examinational findings and diagnoses of 672 (29.6%) patients who took diagnosis related with locomotor system were reviewed. Results: Of the 2263 patients admitted to the board of health for disabled, 672 (29.6%) had locomotor system pathology. Of these patients, 366 were males (54.4%), 306 were females (45.6%) and the mean age was 49.6±26 years. The mean total body disability rates of the patients (TBDR) were 69.5±28.4, while the locomotor system disability rates (LSDR) was 49.43±17.1. Of the 672 patients, 379 (56.3%) were assessed as severely disabled by the medical council. 554 patients (82.4%) had permanent disability. LSDR was highest in individuals aged 10-19 years; lowest in the individuals aged 40-49 years. The most commonly detected locomotor system pathologies were osteoarthritis (OA), hemiplegia, cerebral palsy, joint contractures and spinal cord diseases. The highest LSDR was in the spinal cord injury patients. The most frequent comorbid diagnoses were neurogenic bladder, mental retardation, and hypertension. Conclusion: Most of the patients who admitted to the Board of Health for locomotor system disability had permanent and severe disabilities. Observing that other system disabilities are frequently concomitant with locomotor system disability is important in terms of the social support for these patients and for planning of the appropriate treatment. (Turkish Journal of Osteoporosis 2014;20: 60-4)