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. 2022 Sep;31(9):2645-2654.
doi: 10.1007/s11136-022-03148-5. Epub 2022 May 14.

Profile of individuals with low back pain and factors defining chronicity of pain: a population-based study in Ethiopia

Getahun Kebede Beyera  1 , Jane O'Brien  2 , Steven Campbell  2
Affiliations

Profile of individuals with low back pain and factors defining chronicity of pain: a population-based study in Ethiopia

Getahun Kebede Beyera et al. Qual Life Res. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent public health problem globally, second only to headaches in the ranking of painful disorders that affect human beings. However, evidence about the profile of LBP patients is lacking in low-income countries for appropriate management approaches. This study examined the profile of individuals with LBP and factors defining chronicity of pain in Ethiopia.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 1812 adults (≥ 18 years) with LBP at present. Data were collected by interviewing the study participants using an instrument developed and validated in the same study population. The instrument includes socio-demographic information, health behaviours/lifestyle habits, beliefs about pain, and pain and general health-related characteristics of the participants. Data analysis was performed using R version 3.5.1. Both unconditional and conditional logistic regression models were fitted and Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were computed to identify factors significantly associated with chronicity of pain at p ≤ 0.05 significance level.

Results: Negative beliefs about pain, a varying degree of pain interference with daily and social activities, complaining of pain in other anatomical sites other than the low back region, general health status rated as not excellent, depressive symptomology, and sleeping problems/insomnia were common within the profile of individuals with LBP. Age, educational level, residential setting, beliefs about pain, and depressive symptomology were found to have a statistically significant association with chronicity of pain.

Conclusions: This study provides an overview of the profile of individuals with LBP and factors defining chronicity of pain, assisting clinicians to design appropriate management strategies to improve patients' outcomes.

Keywords: Associated factors; Chronicity of pain; Low back pain; Population-based study; Profile.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pain in other anatomical sites other than the low back region
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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