Abstract
Background
The ‘Subgroups for Targeted Treatment back tool’ (STarT) is supposed to divide patients with low back pain (LBP) into three groups with different risks of non-recovery. The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate whether these groups exist among Danish chiropractor patients, and if so 2) to test if the groups differ on psychological profile as measured by the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ), and the Fear-Avoidance-Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ).
Methods
Questionnaires were handed out to LBP patients aged 18 – 65 years in 19 chiropractor clinics during a 4 weeks period. Patients were anonymous and returned the completed forms in a sealed envelope. Associations between the risk groups and MDI, CSQ, and FABQ were tested by means of linear regression.
Results
The study population consisted of 475 patients: 59 % in the ‘low risk subgroup’, 29 % in the ‘medium risk subgroup’ and 11 % in the ‘high risk subgroup’. MDI median scores for the groups were 6 (95 % CI 5 – 7), 14 (95 % CI 13 – 16), and 21 (95 % CI 17 – 25). The corresponding values for CSQ-catastrophizing were 6 (95 % CI 5 – 7), 10 (95 % CI 8 – 12), and 17 (95 % CI 15 – 18), and for FABQ 22 (95 % 19 – 24), 30 (95 % 27 – 35), and 53 (95 % 38 – 65) in the respective groups.
Conclusion
Chiropractor patients with LBP could be subdivided into predefined groups by the STarT tool. The subgroups differed significantly on psychological profiles. Whether the STarT-subgroups have implications in relation to choice of treatment or prognosis has still to be investigated.
Conflicts of interest: None
Sources of funding: None
