Disability, pain catastrophizing and stress coping of patients with low back pain in rehabilitation practice in Latvia.

BACKGROUND

It is known that pain has emotional and behavioral consequences that influence the development of problems and outcome of treatment. Patients' attitudes and coping mechanisms seem to play a causal role in the chronification of low back pain (LBP) and augment a cycle of chronic pain and disability.

OBJECTIVE

To examine pain catastrophizing, stress coping strategies and disability among patients with low back pain in rehabilitation practice in Latvia.

METHODS

Seventy-four patients participated in the study. We used the Demographic questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale, The Oswestry Low Back Disability Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale and "The Ways of Coping scale".

RESULTS

According to our data there is a strong interrelationship of disability and pain catastrophizing. The research data shows significantly higher scores of pain catastrophizing in patients with a more severe disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Achieved research highlights the importance of a multifactorial approach to pain management and the enormous significance of pain catastrophizing in patients with low back pain.