In conclusion, this cross-sectional study showed that myths of low back pain widely exist among Irish population studied . The level of education played an important role. The findings from this study suggest that public health information regarding low back pain is inadequate and has not affected attitudes to low back pain in an Irish population.
Background
Low back pain (LBP) is common, affecting 58–84% of adults at some point. In benign cases, misinformation can lead to harmful coping strategies and prolonged recovery time. Deyo has identified seven ‘Myths of Back Pain’ as misconceptions commonly seen in clinical practice of which doctors-in-training should be aware. We sought to determine medical students’ baseline knowledge of the prognosis and management of LBP compared to the general public and to dispel the ‘Myths of Back Pain’.
Methods
We carried out a cross-sectional study of medical students (pre-clinical and clinical) at the National University of Ireland, Galway where students completed a questionnaire outlining the seven ‘Myths of Back Pain’. Final year students completed the survey before and after a seminar on LBP. Students’ results were compared with a random sample of the public who attended Galway University Hospital.
Results
Two hundred nineteen students completed the questionnaire (59% female, 41% male). The mean age was 21 years (17–32). The mean number of correct answers increased according to medical school year (premedical 3/7, first year 4/7, final year 5/7). A personal history of back pain and female sex were associated with higher scores. On average, medical students answered 4/7 questions correctly overall, compared to the public (
n
= 131) who averaged at 3/7. Final years dispelled one further myth after their LBP seminar.
Conclusions
Common misconceptions around LBP are prevalent among medical students and the general public. It is important that medical school curricula address these issues as part of their musculoskeletal programme.
Critical care can be provided safely and in line with current best practice in smaller Irish hospitals. There is a cohort of patients for whom care may be best provided in a tertiary centre, how best to provide for these patients will likely be achieved by early identification (e.g. with SOFA score). Bed capacity issues remain problematic.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.