Low back pain media campaign: no effect on sickness behaviour.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of a media campaign on popular beliefs about LBP, and eventual changes in sick leave, imaging examinations, and surgery.

METHODS

Quasi-experimental telephone survey of 1500 randomly chosen people before, during, and after a media campaign in two Norwegian counties, with residents of an adjacent county as the control group. Data on sickness absence, surgery rates for disc herniation and imaging examinations on LBP in the area were collected at the same intervals.

RESULTS

The campaign led to a small but statistically significant shift in beliefs about LBP in the general public. In particular, beliefs about the use of X-rays, and the importance of remaining active and at work, seemed to have changed in response to the campaign messages. However, this change in attitude and understanding of the condition did not lead to any corresponding change in sickness behaviour.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the media campaign seemed to somewhat improve beliefs about LBP in the general public, the magnitude of this was too small to produce any significant change in behaviour.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

A media campaign on LBP should not be limited to small areas and low-budget. A much larger investment is needed for a media campaign to have sufficient impact on public's beliefs on LBP to lead to altered sickness behaviour.