Primary disability of the adult population of the Republic of Belarus due to multiple and combined injuries of the musculoskeletal system

Objective. To study the trends and regional characteristics of the formation of primary disability (PD) of the adult population of the Republic of Belarus due to multiple and combined injuries of the musculoskeletal system, and to assess the severity of PD of this nosology of injuries.

Materials and methods. We monitored and analyzed PD rates due to multiple and combined musculoskeletal injuries for the period of 2015-2024. The data from the Republican Information and Analytical System for Medical Assessment and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons of the Republic of Belarus were used.

Results. The average annual PD rate due to multiple and combined musculoskeletal injuries in the Republic of Belarus for the period of 2015-2024 was 0.28 per 10,000 population. The severity rate is high, averaging 68.8%. The proportion of men in the PD structure was 83.5%; the PD rate among men was 4 times higher than among women: 0.48 and 0.12 per 10,000 population, respectively. The average age of those newly recognized as disabled and able to work was 44.9±12.9 years old. The severity rate was higher in younger individuals compared to other age groups (70.1% in the 30-39 age group and 75.9% in the 18-29 age group). The biggest contribution to the structure of PD was made by fractures involving several areas of the body (41.8%), the highest level of PD was also noted among persons recognized as disabled due to this nosology of injuries – 0.12 per 10 thousand of the population. The highest indicator of PD severity was noted due to multiple femur fractures – 86.4%. Among persons recognized as disabled for the first time, urban residents predominated (71.4%), however, the average annual level of PD and the severity of PD among rural residents (0.36 per 10 thousand of the population and 72.5%, prevailed over the same indicators for urban residents (0.26 per 10 thousand of the population and 67.3%). The largest number of persons recognized as disabled for the first time lived in the Minsk region (23.6%). The highest level of PD was also noted in the Minsk region, amounting to 0.43 per 10 thousand of the population and exceeding the national average by 53.6%.

Conclusion. The trends established during the study towards the formation of a contingent of newly recognized disabled people due to multiple and combined injuries of the musculoskeletal system by people of working age and high rates of disability severity indicate that that the consequences of injury in a given nosology of injury are not only medical, but also a socio-economic problem due to the loss of labor resources, and also act as a confident argument on the need to improve medical rehabilitation measures, aimed at the optimal restoration of the functioning of persons and compensation for lost functions with the aim of social adaptation and subsequent reintegration to the work of patients.

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