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Chiropractic & Manual Therapies
Published in: Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 1/2005

Open Access 01-12-2005 | Review

The epidemiology of low back pain in primary care

Authors: Peter M Kent, Jennifer L Keating

Published in: Chiropractic & Manual Therapies | Issue 1/2005

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Abstract

This descriptive review provides a summary of the prevalence, activity limitation (disability), care-seeking, natural history and clinical course, treatment outcome, and costs of low back pain (LBP) in primary care.
LBP is a common problem affecting both genders and most ages, for which about one in four adults seeks care in a six-month period. It results in considerable direct and indirect costs, and these costs are financial, workforce and social. Care-seeking behaviour varies depending on cultural factors, the intensity of the pain, the extent of activity limitation and the presence of co-morbidity. Care-seeking for LBP is a significant proportion of caseload for some primary-contact disciplines. Most recent-onset LBP episodes settle but only about one in three resolves completely over a 12-month period. About three in five will recur in an on-going relapsing pattern and about one in 10 do not resolve at all. The cases that do not resolve at all form a persistent LBP group that consume the bulk of LBP compensable care resources and for whom positive outcomes are possible but not frequent or substantial.
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Metadata
Title
The epidemiology of low back pain in primary care
Authors
Peter M Kent
Jennifer L Keating
Publication date
01-12-2005
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Chiropractic & Manual Therapies / Issue 1/2005
Electronic ISSN: 2045-709X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1340-13-13

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