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Chiropractic & Manual Therapies
Published in: Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Physical Therapy | Scoping Reviews

Knowledge of psychosocial factors associated with low back pain amongst health science students: a scoping review

Authors: Kelsey L. Lewis, Patrick J. Battaglia

Published in: Chiropractic & Manual Therapies | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Low back pain is a burden worldwide and biological, psychological, and social mechanisms play a role in its development and persistence. Current guidelines support care using the biopsychosocial model. However, biomedical constructs dominate clinician training, and it is unknown the extent to which health science students understand the psychosocial determinates of a patient’s low back pain. Therefore, the aim of this scoping review is to report health science students’ current knowledge of psychosocial factors associated with low back pain.

Methods

A scoping review framework was used to search electronic databases for research examining health science students’ knowledge of psychosocial factors associated with low back pain. The nature and findings of the studies are highlighted using the data charting tool. Each study was analyzed to determine the type of outcome measurement used. Scores were compared to minimum accepted scores, between disciplines, as education advanced, and after educational modules.

Results

Fourteen studies published between 2004 and 2019 were identified. Seven healthcare disciplines were represented.
In total, 12 different measurement tools were utilized. In 9 studies students demonstrated inadequate knowledge of psychosocial factors associated with low back pain. Three tools compared disciplines and nationalities. Three tools were associated with practice behavior. Eight studies showed improvement as students’ education advanced, and 3 studies demonstrated improvements in knowledge after implementation of pain education modules of varied lengths. Of those, two showed significant improvement.

Conclusions

Health science students in these studies had substandard understanding of psychosocial factors associated with low back pain. Dedicated pain education has the potential to improve low back pain understanding, resulting in more guideline appropriate care recommendation.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Knowledge of psychosocial factors associated with low back pain amongst health science students: a scoping review
Authors
Kelsey L. Lewis
Patrick J. Battaglia
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Chiropractic & Manual Therapies / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 2045-709X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-019-0284-5

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