Abstract
BackgroundLow back and neck pain are commonly reported in the general population and represent frequent causes for health care consultations. The main aim of this study was to describe the determinants of health care contact during a 1-year period in a general population with recent onset spinal pain.MethodsFrom 9056 participants in a general health survey in Norway we identified 219 persons reporting a recent onset (<1 month) of low back or neck pain. Questionnaires were given at 1 (baseline), 2, 3, 6 and 12 months after pain debut. The main outcome was self-reported health care contact due to spinal pain. Associations between health care contact and pain-related factors, other somatic and mental health factors, pain-related work limitations, physical activity and sociodemographic factors were explored.ResultsConventional health care was sought by 93 persons (43 %) at least once throughout the year following the onset of pain. 18 persons (8 %) sought alternative health care only and 108 persons (49 %) sought no kind of health care. Baseline reports of coexisting low back and neck pain of equal intensity, poor self-reported health, symptoms of anxiety or depression, obesity and smoking were all associated with an increased tendency to seek conventional health care. Pain intensity and pain-related work limitations at each occasion were strongly associated with concurrent health care contact throughout the year. Higher education was associated with a reduced tendency to contact health care and no association was found for physical activity.ConclusionThe main finding in this study was that people from the general population who seek health-care for a new incident of neck or low back pain report more symptoms of mental distress, poorer self-reported health and more intense pain with stronger work limitations compared to those who do not. The findings suggest that identification of complementary symptoms is highly relevant in the examination of spinal pain patients, even for those with recent onset of symptoms.
Highlights
Low back and neck pain are commonly reported in the general population and represent frequent causes for health care consultations
In a recent article exploring the natural course of acute neck and low back pain in the general population we found a rapid decrease of pain within the first month [6]
25 persons sought alternative care in addition to conventional, but they were included in the conventional health care group for further analyses. 18 persons (8 %) chose alternative health care only at least once throughout the year following the new incident of spinal pain. 108 persons (49 %) did not seek any kind of health care
Summary
Low back and neck pain are commonly reported in the general population and represent frequent causes for health care consultations. The main aim of this study was to describe the determinants of health care contact during a 1-year period in a general population with recent onset spinal pain. Low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP) are frequently reported in the general populations [1, 2]. In a recent article exploring the natural course of acute neck and low back pain in the general population we found a rapid decrease of pain within the first month [6]. We were surprised to find that the proportion who had sought help for their new pain episode was remarkably stable around 20 % at each of the five assessment occasions throughout the following year [6]. The question arose whether care-seeking was linked to the pain episode itself or to other health or personality issues
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