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. 2022 Dec 1;45(4):302-310.
doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000548. Epub 2022 Sep 19.

Pre-rehabilitation scores of functioning measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule in persons with nonspecific low back pain: a scoping review

Jessica J Wong  1   2   3 , Astrid DeSouza  1   4 , Sheilah Hogg-Johnson  1   2   4   5   6 , Wouter De Groote  7 , Hamid Varmazyar  8 , Silvano A Mior  1   4   5   6 , Paula J Stern  3 , Danielle Southerst  1 , Stephanie Alexopulos  3   6 , Melissa Belchos  1   3   4 , Nadège Lemeunier  4 , Margareta C Nordin  9 , Kent Murnaghan  10 , Alarcos Cieza  7 , Pierre Côté  1   2   4   6
Affiliations

Pre-rehabilitation scores of functioning measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule in persons with nonspecific low back pain: a scoping review

Jessica J Wong et al. Int J Rehabil Res. .

Abstract

Knowledge of the pre-rehabilitation generic status of functioning in individuals with low back pain is necessary to understand the clinical utility of rehabilitation care. We conducted a scoping review to describe the pre-rehabilitation functioning status of persons with nonspecific low back pain using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS)-36 or WHODAS-12. We searched multiple databases from 2010 to 2021 for studies reporting pre-rehabilitation scores using WHODAS in persons with low back pain. Reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data, and we descriptively summarized results by the duration of low back pain (acute/subacute <3 months; chronic ≥3 months), and the WHODAS version. Of 1770 citations screened, eight citations were relevant. Five studies were conducted in Europe, two in America, and one in the African Region (mostly high-income countries). In persons with acute low back pain, the mean WHODAS-36 pre-rehabilitation summary score (complex scoring) was 22.8/100 (SD = 15.4) (one study). In persons with chronic low back pain, the mean WHODAS-36 summary score (complex scoring) ranged from 22.8/100 (SD = 5.7) to 41.5/100 (SD = 13.8) (two studies). For WHODAS-12 in persons with chronic low back pain, the mean summary score was 11.4/48 (SD = 8.7) or 14.4/48 (SD = 9.4) using simple scoring (two studies), and 25.8/100 (SD = 2.2) using complex scoring (one study). No floor or ceiling effects were observed in WHODAS-36 summary scores for chronic low back pain. Our scoping review comprehensively summarizes available studies reporting pre-rehabilitation levels of functioning using WHODAS in persons with low back pain. Persons with low back pain seeking rehabilitation have moderate limitations in functioning, and limitations level tends to be worse with chronic low back pain.

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Conflict of interest statement

J.J.W. reports research grants from the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation (paid to institution); and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR; paid to institution) outside the submitted work. P.C. reports research grants from the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation (paid to institution); CIHR, College of Chiropractors of British Columbia, and the WHO (paid to institution) outside the submitted work; payment for expert (court) testimony from the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association and NCMIC; and support for attending meetings and/or travel from Eurospine, Sophiahemmet University, and World Federation of Chiropractic. M.C.N. reports leadership role (unpaid) with World Spine Care, SPINE20, and Eurospine. For the remaining authors, there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram for scoping reviews showing identification and selection of included studies. LBP, low back pain; WHODAS, World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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