Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in primary care – A study on Swedish children and young people

Musculoskeletal pain is a common complaint among children and young people, and primary care services are typically the first contact when seeking medical care. The main objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in primary care among children and young people in the Skåne Region, Sweden. The annual prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in primary care was investigated and stratified by sex, age, and pain sites among individuals aged 8-18 years, registered as living in Skåne from 2016 to 2024 (mean annual population n=176 618). To investigate this, the Skåne Healthcare Register, which covers data on diagnostic codes for all delivered healthcare to the population in the Skåne Region, was used. The result from this study shows that the one-year prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was 10.7% in 2024. Over the full study period, 92 682 unique individuals consulted at least once for musculoskeletal pain, resulting in 215 989 musculoskeletal pain consultations (52% by females and 48% by males). The most common codes recorded were for unspecified pain sites (42%), while back pain was the most common site-specific code recorded (17%). The prevalence of frequent consulters was higher in older ages and among females. This study provides an overview of the annual prevalence of musculoskeletal pain as seen in primary care among children and young people in the Skåne Region. The annual prevalence increased during the study period, highlighting the need to prevent its onset and target those already affected for early care interventions. Perspective: Musculoskeletal pain is common among children and young people in primary care. Considering its short- and long-term negative effects, this study highlights the need for early intervention, preventive strategies, and organizing primary care to ensure that all children and young people with musculoskeletal pain are properly seen and cared for.