Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders, experienced as joint pain, are a significant global health problem, but little is known about how joint pain is categorised and understood in Tanzania. Understanding existing conceptualisations of and responses to joint pain is important to ensure both research and interventions are equitable and avoid biomedical imposition.
Methods: Rapid ethnographic appraisal was conducted in a periurban and rural community in Kilimanjaro, documenting language used to describe joint pain, ideas about causes, understandings of who experiences such pain, the impacts pain has and how people respond to it. We conducted 66 interviews with community leaders, traditional healers, community members and pharmacists.Photographs were taken and included in fieldnotes to supplement the interview data and develop thick descriptions. Data were analysed by constant comparison using QDA Miner software.
Results: Across the sample, dominant concepts of joint pain were named , cold disease; , old age disease; , disease of the joints; and g, gout. Causes mentioned included exposure to the cold, old age, alcohol and red meat consumption, witchcraft, demons and injuries/falls. Age, gender and occupation were seen as important factors for developing joint pain. Perceived impacts of joint pain included loss of mobility, economic and family problems, developing new health conditions, death, reduction in sexual functioning and negative self-perceptions. Responses to joint pain blended biomedical treatments, herbal remedies, consultations with traditional healers and religious rituals.
Conclusions: Conceptualisations of and responses to joint pain in the two communities were syncretic, mixing folk and biomedical practices. Narratives about who is affected by joint pain mirror emerging epidemiological findings, suggesting a strong 'lay epidemiology' in these communities. Anthropological methods can support the decolonisation of global health by decentring the imposition of English language biomedicine and pursuing synthetic, dignified languages of care.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013245 | DOI Listing |
Sensors (Basel)
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Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
Swimmer's shoulder is a common condition among elite swimmers, often leading to pain and reduced performance. Fatigue can exacerbate this condition by affecting shoulder strength, proprioception, and range of motion, potentially increasing the risk of overuse injuries. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate the impact of physiotherapy treatment and the effects of fatigue on shoulder kinematics using inertial and magnetic measurement units (IMUs).
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Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610036, China.
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a pivotal mediator in the pathological progression of osteoarthritis (OA), playing a central role in disease progression. However, the rapid clearance of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) from the joints may hinder the efficacy of intra-articular IL-1Ra injections in reducing OA-associated pain or cartilage degradation. Sustaining sufficient levels of IL-1Ra within the joints via adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy presents a promising therapeutic strategy for OA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNutrients
December 2024
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807378, Taiwan.
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Coordination of Health Research, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico City 06720, Mexico.
Background: Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by the mosquitoes , which is characterized by fever, myalgia and arthralgia. In some cases, it can be fatal. For many years, dengue fever has been endemic to Mexico; however, few studies have investigated the historical and current extents of dengue fever at the national level or considered the effects of variables such as temperature, precipitation and elevation on its occurrence.
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December 2024
Faculty of Pharmacy, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Traian Vuia 6, 020956 Bucharest, Romania.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage and the subsequent inflammation of joint tissues, leading to pain and reduced mobility. Despite advancements in symptomatic treatments, disease-modifying therapies for OA remain limited. This narrative review examines the dual role of autophagy in OA, emphasizing its protective functions during the early stages and its potential to contribute to cartilage degeneration in later stages.
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