01-32 Backspace Oct20-FINAL-WEB

Newsletter of the European Chiropractors’ Union
ECU news
WHO (Europe) work programme
Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) globally – and in its European Region
– are committed to implementing three interconnected strategic priorities, set out in the
Organization’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW 13):
• Moving towards universal health coverage
• Protecting people better against health emergencies
• Ensuring healthy lives and wellbeing for all, at all ages.
Jan Geert Wagenaar, ECU Vice President offers a chiropractic perspective.
THE FOCUS so far has been
primarily on the risk of
dying prematurely from the four
main noncommunicable diseases
(NCDs), which is below 10% in
some countries, but as high as
31% in others.
Noncommunicable – or
chronic – diseases are diseases of
long duration and generally slow
progression. The four main types
of noncommunicable diseases
are cardiovascular diseases (like
heart attacks and stroke), cancer,
chronic respiratory diseases (such
as chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease and asthma) and diabetes.
However, there is a blind spot
in Europe on the prevalence
and impact of musculoskeletal
conditions as the fifth type of noncommunicable
disease.
Musculoskeletal conditions
are typically characterised by
pain (often persistent) and
limitations in mobility, dexterity
and functional ability, reducing
people’s ability to work and
participate in social roles with
associated impacts on mental
wellbeing, and at a broader level
impacts on the prosperity of
communities. MSK problems
account for 50% of work absences
of at least three days in the EU
and 60% of permanent work
incapacity.
The Global Burden of Disease
(GBD) study provides evidence
of the impact of musculoskeletal
conditions, highlighting the
significant disability burden
associated with these conditions.
In the 2017 GBD study,
musculoskeletal conditions were
the highest contributor to global
disability (accounting for 16%
of all years lived with disability),
and lower back pain remained the
single leading cause of disability
since it was first measured in
1990. A more recent paper in
the Lancet (2018) from Jan
Hartvigsen, Rachelle Buchbinder,
Mark Hancock, Nadine Foster,
Christopher Maher, et al,
addressed the issues around the
disorder and called for worldwide
recognition of the disability
associated with it.
In a statement the WHO
summarises some key facts on
musculoskeletal conditions:
• Musculoskeletal conditions
are the leading contributor
to disability worldwide, with
low back pain being the single
leading cause of disability
globally.
• Musculoskeletal conditions and
injuries are not just conditions
of older age; they are prevalent
across the life-course. Between
one in three and one in five
people (including children) live
with a musculoskeletal pain
condition.
• Musculoskeletal conditions
significantly limit mobility
and dexterity, leading to early
retirement from work, reduced
accumulated wealth and
reduced ability to participate in
social roles.
• The greatest proportion of
non-cancer persistent pain
conditions is accounted for by
musculoskeletal conditions.
• Highly prevalent among
multi-morbidity health states,
musculoskeletal conditions
are prevalent in one third to
one half of multi-morbidity
presentations, particularly in
older people.
• Musculoskeletal conditions
are commonly linked with
depression and increase the risk
of developing other chronic
health conditions.
It is time for Europe to start
taking musculoskeletal conditions,
and their multimorbidity
presentation with the other
noncommunicable diseases,
seriously.
So, coming back to the three
interconnected strategic priorities:
• Moving towards universal
health coverage
• Protecting people better against
health emergencies
• Ensuring healthy lives and
wellbeing for all, at all ages
WHO – Europe should be
paying more attention to the
complexity of the condition
and the contributors to it, such
as psychological, social, and
biophysical factors, and especially
to the problems faced by lowand
middle-income countries.
The persistence of disability and
the economic damage associated
with low back pain, and the fact
that it cannot be separated from
social and economic factors and
personal and cultural beliefs about
back pain, need to be recognised.
WHO - Europe should therefore
be spending more focus and more
money to research the diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of low
back pain.
The chiropractic profession is
well known for its effective noninvasive
treatment of spinal and
musculoskeletal conditions and
avoiding the use of drugs. There
are current inequalities in the
provision of chiropractic health
services in Europe, both in terms
of capacity and accessibility. In
some countries, chiropractic is
provided as part of the national
health service, while in others,
chiropractors are subject to
prosecution for practising
medicine without a licence. This
inequality is not in the public
interest and denies a sizeable
number of European citizens
access to chiropractic care. It must
be a priority for the chiropractic
profession to reduce health care
inequalities.
Czech
Chiropractic
Association
THE RECENTLY formed
Czech Chiropractic
Association has been voted
a member of the ECU. It is
led by Marcin Dochnal, who
graduated from the AECC in
2014 (see 60-second interview
page 31). Contact details are:
info.rootshealth@gmail.com
+420733304524
Urbankova 3364/55
14300 Prague
Czech Republic
Freepik.com
BACKspace www.chiropractic-ecu.org October 2020 5
01-32 Backspace Oct20.indd 5 08/10/2020 19:10