Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018 Jun 1;19(6):1112-1120.
doi: 10.1093/pm/pnx333.

An E-learning Module on Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults: Effect on Medical Resident Attitudes, Confidence, Knowledge, and Clinical Skills

Zachary G Jacobs  1 , D Michael Elnicki  1 , Subashan Perera  1   2 , Debra K Weiner  3   1   4   5   6   7   8
Affiliations

An E-learning Module on Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults: Effect on Medical Resident Attitudes, Confidence, Knowledge, and Clinical Skills

Zachary G Jacobs et al. Pain Med. .

Abstract

Objective: To determine 1) the feasibility of implementing an e-learning module on chronic low back pain (CLBP) in an older adult into an existing internal medicine residency curriculum and 2) the impact of this module on resident attitudes, confidence, knowledge, and clinical skills relating to CLBP.

Methods: Participants were assigned to complete either the online module (N = 73) or the Yale Office-based curriculum on CLBP (N = 70). Attitudes, confidence, and knowledge were evaluated pre- and postintervention via survey. A retrospective blinded chart review of resident clinic encounters was conducted, wherein diagnosis codes and physical exam documentation were rated as basic or advanced.

Results: There was no improvement in overall knowledge scores in either group (60% average on both metrics). There were tendencies for greater improvements in the intervention group compared with controls for confidence in managing fibromyalgia (2.4 to 2.9 vs 2.5 to 2.5, P = 0.06) and leg length discrepancy (1.8 to 2.5 vs 1.5 to 1.9, P = 0.05). Those exposed to the online module also showed an increase in the percentage of physical exam documentation rated as advanced following the intervention (13% to 32%, P = 0.006), whereas the control group showed no change (14% to 12%, P = 0.68).

Conclusions: An online module on CLBP in the older adult was a feasible addition to an existing curriculum for internal medicine residents. The module positively and substantively impacted resident clinical behaviors, as evidenced by enhanced sophistication in physical exam documentation; it also was associated with improved confidence in certain aspects of chronic pain management.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Hoy D, Brooks P, Blyth F, et al. . The epidemiology of low back pain. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2010;24(6):769–81.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2010.10.002 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Johannes CB, Le TK, Zhou X, et al. . The prevalence of chronic pain in United States adults: Results of an Internet-based survey. J Pain 2010;11(11):1230–9.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2010.07.002 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Duthey B. Update on 2004 Background Paper, BP 6.24 Low back pain. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013.
    1. Gore M, Sadosky A, Stacey B, Tai K, Leslie D.. The burden of chronic low back pain: Clinical comorbidities, treatment patterns, and health care costs in usual care settings. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2012;37(11):E668–77. - PubMed
    1. Hoy D, Bain C, Williams G, et al. . A systematic review of the global prevalence of low back pain. Arthritis Rheum 2012;64(6):2028–37.http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/art.34347 - DOI - PubMed