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. 2015 Jan 30;10(1):e0117521.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117521. eCollection 2015.

Primary care physicians' attitudes and beliefs towards chronic low back pain: an Asian study

Regina W S Sit  1 , Benjamin H K Yip  1 , Dicken C C Chan  1 , Samuel Y S Wong  1
Affiliations

Primary care physicians' attitudes and beliefs towards chronic low back pain: an Asian study

Regina W S Sit et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Chronic low back pain is a serious global health problem. There is substantial evidence that physicians' attitudes towards and beliefs about chronic low back pain can influence their subsequent management of the condition.

Objectives: (1) to evaluate the attitudes and beliefs towards chronic low back pain among primary care physicians in Asia; (2) to study the cultural differences and other factors that are associated with these attitudes and beliefs.

Method: A cross sectional online survey was sent to primary care physicians who are members of the Hong Kong College of Family Physician (HKCFP). The Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapist (PABS-PT) was used as the questionnaire to determine the biomedical and biopsychosocial orientation of the participants.

Results: The mean Biomedical (BM) score was 34.8+/-6.1; the mean biopsychosocial (BPS) score was 35.6 (+/- 4.8). Both scores were higher than those of European doctors. Family medicine specialists had a lower biomedical score than General practitioners. Physicians working in the public sector tended to have low BM and low BPS scores; whereas physicians working in private practice tended to have high BM and high BPS scores.

Conclusion: The lack of concordance in the pain explanatory models used by private and public sector may have a detrimental effect on patients who are under the care of both parties. The uncertain treatment orientation may have a negative influence on patients' attitudes and beliefs, thus contributing to the tension and, perhaps, even ailing mental state of a person with chronic LBP.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Scatter plot of biomedical score against biopsychosocial score (split into four parts according to means of two scores).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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