The highest prevalence of self-reported insomnia symptoms was observed for the oldest groups, women, married or divorced, and participants with children under six years old.
Rural Uganda had the highest prevalence of self-reported HIV infection; no participants reported HIV infection in South Africa, likely due to stigma.
The highest prevalence of self-reported chronic conditions was for hypertension [14.2% (95% CI 12.8 15.6)] and osteoarthritis [13.8%, (95% CI 11.7 15.9)].
For individuals reporting acute disorders, the prevalence of self-medication is greater among those with higher levels of education, while individuals over 43 years of age, those living alone, and students have the highest prevalence of self-medication.
As well as having very high mortality at working ages, out of 18 European countries Russia has been found to have the highest prevalence of self-reported ill-health [ 12].
The baseline survey revealed a high prevalence of self reported chronic conditions, especially that of diabetes and hypertension.
Hence the present study was carried out in the first fortnight of August 2001 in Pokhara sub-metropolitan city and the surrounding villages, where a high prevalence of self and non-doctor prescribing was observed in the subject population.
The high prevalence of self reported perceived sleep disturbance in CLBP patients found in this study supports previous research in chronic pain populations using subjective measures [ 5- 8, 28, 29].
A recent Danish study found that women are more likely to report spinal pain than men [ 51], therefore it is possible that the high proportion of women in this study, due to their role as water carriers, may explain the high prevalence of self reported pain.
Those participants with lower composite physical capability scores at age 53 had lower socioeconomic position, less healthy lifestyles, and higher prevalence of self reported cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and severe respiratory symptoms compared with those with higher scores (tables 1 and 2 ).
