Women self-report slightly higher rates of musculoskeletal conditions, joint pain, limitations in activities of daily living, bed days, and lost workdays due to musculoskeletal conditions than men do. The etiology of the differences noted between women in men in these conditions is multifactorial and is not solely or consistently attributable to differences in sex hormones.
Unlike other content areas in this document, the incidence and burden of musculoskeletal tumors relies on the extensive cancer reports available from national cancer databases. ICD-9-CM codes for tumors are presented, but the national databases used in other sections were not analyzed for tumors.
In addition to the burden of malignant bone and soft tissue tumors, a plethora of benign tumors and tumor-like conditions disable thousands of Americans annually. No national databases on which to base estimates of the prevalence or incidence of such tumors exist.
The average age of the population in the United States continues to rise. With age, the human body’s ability to cope with stress and illness declines. As a result, poorer outcomes from cancers are expected in the aged due to greater decline in functional status, adaptability and an increase in co-morbid conditions, all of which have been shown to have an effect on survival.
