Musculoskeletal Australia (MSK) will conduct the largest and most comprehensive consumer-driven survey in Australia to determine how its care can be improved.
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Following a pilot survey by MSK in July, responses showed that people living with musculoskeletal conditions were impacted in a variety of ways and needed help and support to better manage their conditions and have a better quality of life.
These preliminary results show that all respondents said affordable treatment options and services - for example physiotherapy, exercise classes, medication - would better help them manage their conditions.
Three quarters backed this up by saying more government support, specifically for the ongoing costs of treatment, would also help them manage their condition.
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While half of the pilot survey respondents were of working age (25 to 64), only 39 per cent of respondents were actually working (43 per cent were retired, nine per cent unable to work and five per cent studying).
A large number of pilot survey respondents were unable to work because of their condition and had to either retire early, stop working, change to part-time work or seen their career plans affected by their condition.
Benalla Musculoskeletal Peer Support Group member Lynn Gibson said this type of survey could be a good way for people living with the condition, and their carers to offer feedback, and information on what they were going through.
“This type of survey is really important because (musculoskeletal conditions) affect so many different people, from the old to the very young,” Ms Gibson said.
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“There are lots of us that suffer from musculoskeletal disorders and its nice for us to be able to put our views forward and to discuss what problems and issues we have.”
The support group in Benalla has between 30 to 40 regular members.
“We meet once a month,” Ms Gibson said.
“It is nice to have the group to be able to discuss our problems, issues with what medication we are on, the pros and cons of different medications, and being able to discuss our ailments.”
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With so many unable to work and earn as they would like, it is no surprise that those living with musculoskeletal conditions also feel a substantial amount of financial strain, with participants stating they felt financial stress as a result of the cost of allied health appointments, private health insurance, specialist appointments and medications.
And to compound matters, three quarters of pilot survey participants were also living with another condition, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, a mental health issue or gastrointestinal disease.
More than 70 per cent of pilot survey participants said that their day-to-day physical activity, such as walking or climbing stairs, was affected.
Musculoskeletal Australia chief executive officer Rob Anderson said other life impacts included a decrease in social activities, with 66 per cent of pilot survey participants stating their social life had been affected.
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“The prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions in Australia is becoming exceedingly high and can have a profound impact on people’s lives, including their mental wellbeing and socio-economic circumstances,” Mr Anderson said.
“MSK is committed to representing the needs and perspectives of people living with these conditions and wants to achieve the best outcomes for them.
“Our national consumer survey is the first step to providing us with a broader understanding of their experiences, needs and how to best support them.”
The second largest contributor to disability worldwide and the most common cause for early retirement, there are more than 150 musculoskeletal conditions, which include common conditions such as osteoarthritis, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia.
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MSK aims to deliver the most comprehensive audit of what it is like to live with a musculoskeletal condition in Australia with this survey, as there is inadequate prioritisation of musculoskeletal health and persistent pain in the current health system.
The results, once compiled, will provide MSK with a better understanding of the needs and experiences of the seven million Australians living with a condition and how their care can be improved.
It will also enable MSK to foster partnerships with other key stakeholders to advocate for more investment in the services and support required by those living with a musculoskeletal condition.
“We strongly encourage everyone living with a musculoskeletal condition, or those caring for someone, to complete the survey,” Mr Anderson said.
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“It takes only 10 minutes to complete and will greatly assist MSK and other organisations to better engage Australians living with these conditions and improve their quality of life.”
The survey will allow the voices of the one in three Australians affected by these conditions to be heard by sharing what condition/s they have and the overall effect it has on their life in order to increase the awareness on the impact of living with musculoskeletal conditions.
The survey was launched on Wednesday, August 19, and can be found at this link.
● For more information, and to respond to the survey, visit this link.
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