Abstract
Introduction: Estimates of low back pain prevalence show that low back pain is a common problem particularly in western countries. But the extent to which low back pain causes true disability and not just nuisance pain casts doubt of the utility of these estimates. No studies have been performed in Australia to study both the prevalence and disability associated with low back pain in the population. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence ranges and retrospective one year incidence of low back pain together with any related disability in Australian adults.
Methods: A survey was mailed to a stratified random sample of 3000 Australian adults selected from the Electoral Roll. There was a 69% response rate. Demographic variables of respondents were compared with those of the Australian population taken from Census data. Selective response bias was investigated using wave analysis. A range of prevalence data were derived as was a disability score using the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire1 (CPG). The CPG has demonstrated reliability and validity in measuring pain and disability in postal surveys2. Prevalence and disability estimates were variously standardised using gender, age and marital status.
Results: There was little variation between the sample and the Australian adult population. There was no significant selective response bias found. The sample point prevalence was estimated at 25.5% (95% CI, 23.6–27.5), six-months prevalence was 64.6% (95% CI, 62.6–66.8) and lifetime prevalence was 79.2%, (95% CI, 77.3–80.9). The retrospective one year incidence was 8.0% (95% CI, 6.9–9.3). In the previous six months period 42.6% (95% CI, 40.4–44.8) of the adult population had experienced low intensity pain and low disability from it. Another 10.9% (95% CI, 9.6–12.3) had experienced high intensity pain, but still low disability from this pain. However, 10.5% (95% CI, 9.2–11.9) had experienced high disability low back pain. The mean time-off from usual activities in the past six months for this group was 1.6 months (95% CI, 1.3–1.9), the median was 18 days. There was no gender difference for a high disability rating or time-off.
Conclusion: Low back pain is a very common problem in the Australian adult population, yet most of this is low intensity and low disability pain. Nevertheless, over 10% had been disabled by low back pain in the past six months and it required significant time off from usual activities.
The abstracts were prepared by Dr Robert J. Moore. Correspondence should be addressed to him at The Spine Society of Australia, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, The Adelaide Centre for Spinal Research, Frome Road, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
References:
1 Von Korff, M et al. Grading the severity of chronic pain. Pain, 50:133–149,1992. Google Scholar
2 Smith, BH et al. The Chronic Pain Grade questionnaire: Validation and reliability in postal research. Pain, 71:141–147, 1997. Google Scholar
