Factors associated with attitudes and beliefs of elders with acute low back pain: data from the study Back Complaints in the Elders (BACE)

Abstract

BackgroundThe attitudes and beliefs that older people have about acute low back pain (LBP) may influence the coping mechanisms and the adoption of treatment strategies in this population.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with the attitudes and beliefs of elderly patients with acute low back pain using the Back Beliefs Questionnaire.MethodThis is a cross-sectional study with a subsample of the study “Back Complaints in the Elders” (BACE), composed of 532 older Brazilians of both genders with acute LBP. We investigated sociodemographic and clinical aspects, self-perceived health, psychosocial and emotional state, falls, and functional capacity. Multiple regression models were constructed to measure possible associations.ResultsThe percentage of female participants was 85.7% and the mean age was 69.04 (SD=6.2). Disability, symptoms of depression, and expectation of return to activities were independently associated with attitudes and beliefs concerning LBP.ConclusionScreening of psychosocial factors is essential to the prevention of persistent and recurrent LBP. Early signs of these factors can help identify symptoms and behaviors for effective interventions.

Effectiveness and cost-utility of a multifaceted eHealth strategy to improve back pain beliefs of patients with non-specific low back pain: a cluster randomised trial

“…This indicates that there was room for improvement in back pain beliefs in the current study 40. Another study that assessed factors that were associated with beliefs and attitudes of elderly (mean age 69) also found low LBP beliefs scores (mean 23.7) 41. In the current study disability scores measured with the RDQ-24 showed low levels of disability, and absenteeism rates were also low.…”

The Brazilian Back Complaints in the Elders (Brazilian BACE) study: characteristics of Brazilian older adults with a new episode of low back pain

“…We hypothesize that these differences could be due to some factors: younger adults were more active in the community, thus pain could have affected more significantly their daily functions; also, other factors influence pain and disability in the aged population, such as increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, 11 , 12 sarcopenia, 13 , 14 degenerative diseases, having poorer perception of health, psychosocial factors, and having more concurrent diseases. 15 , 16 , 17 Additionally, these results might also lie in the peculiarity of the evolution of life expectancy in Brazil, which in 1940 was around 40 years old. Thus, Brazilians aged 75 and over from this study must have physical and functional characteristics that favored their survival over the years, thus being more resilient to their health condition.…”

Disability in older adults with acute low back pain: the study Back Complaints in the Elderly – (Brazil)

“…It is part of the multicenter project named Back Complaints in the Elderly (BACE), a prospective observational epidemiological cohort study developed by an international consortium in the Netherlands, Australia, and Brazil. 11 , 12 This project was approved by the Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil (ETIC 0100.0.203.000-11).…”

“… 7 Regarding marital status, the literature indicates that, even without pain symptoms, married older adults had lower disability when compared to older adults living alone. 9 , 10 , 11 …”