ArticleBMC public health2024
Exploring the burden, prevalence and associated factors of chronic musculoskeletal pain in migrants from North Africa and Middle East living in Europe: a scoping review.
Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Barriers to employment: The impact of health burdens among refugees in the Norwegian introduction programme.Journal of migration and health · 2026Article
- Between Syndemics and Structural Exploitation: Health Barriers of Migrant Agricultural Workers.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Ethnic minority patients' experiences of filling in translated patient-reported outcome measures.Journal of public health research · 2025Article
- Social Determinants of Self-Reported Health in Vulnerable Populations During a Polycrisis in Lebanon.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- The Frequency and Main Characteristics of Obesity in Undocumented Migrants Receiving Medical Assistance from a Charitable Organisation in Italy.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Chronic pain and use of painkillers, healthcare services and long-term impairment among Syrian refugees: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Pain prevalence, intensity, and association with neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia in immigrant and non-immigrant aged care residents in Australia.Scientific reports · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundImmigrants are exposed to numerous risk factors that may contribute to the development of chronic musculoskeletal pain. Recent political and environmental crises in North Africa and the Middle East have led to an increase in immigration to Europe that has challenged the healthcare system and especially the management of chronic conditions.
objectiveThe aims of this scoping review are to investigate the burden, prevalence, and associated factors of chronic musculoskeletal pain in immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East in Europe during the last decade. The intentions of the review are to inform healthcare policymakers, to identify gaps in the literature, and aid the planning of future research.
designOnline databases Medline, Embase, PubMed and Web of Science were used to identify epidemiological studies published from2012-2022 examining chronic pain in populations from North Africa and the Middle East with a migration background residing in Europe.
resultsIn total eleven studies were identified conducted in Norway (n = 3), Denmark (n = 3), Germany (n = 1), Austria (n = 1), Sweden (n = 1), and Switzerland (n = 1). Among the identified studies, eight studies were cross-sectional (n = 8), two were prospective cohort studies (n = 2) and one was a retrospective cohort study (n = 1). Data suggested that chronic pain is more prevalent, more widespread, and more severe in people with than without a migration background. Furthermore, immigrants who have resided in the destination country for a longer period experience a higher prevalence of chronic pain compared to those in the early phases of migration. The following factors were found to be associated with chronic pain in this population: female gender, lower education, financial hardship, being underweight or obese, time in transit during migration, experience of trauma, immigration status, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
conclusionSeveral gaps in the literature were identified. Research is limited in terms of quantity and quality, does not reflect actual immigration trends, and does not account for immigration factors. Prospective cohort studies with long follow-ups would aid in improving prevention and management of chronic pain in populations with a migration background. In particular, they should reflect actual immigration trajectories, account for immigration factors, and have valid comparison groups in the countries of origin, transit and destination.
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