Carey T S, Evans A T, Hadler N M, Lieberman G, Kalsbeek W D, Jackman A M, Fryer J G, McNutt R A
Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1996 Feb 1;21(3):339-44. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199602010-00018.
Telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of adults in 4437 North Carolina households. The response rate was 79%.
The prevalence of low back pain and the correlates of care-seeking in a defined population were examined.
Previous research on low back pain has used varying definitions of the illness of low back pain, and has admixed patients with acute and chronic low back pain. Acute low back pain was examined in this study as a distinct phenomenon separate from chronic low back pain.
Respondents completed a detailed interview regarding the occurrence of and care sought for back pain in 1991. Acute back pain was defined as functionally limiting pain lasting less than 3 months.
From this sample, 485 individuals had at least one occurrence of acute severe low back pain in 1991, representing 7.6% of the adult population. Symptoms were reported less commonly in individuals older than age 60 years (5% vs. 8.5%) and in nonwhites compared with whites (5% vs. 8.5%). Thirty-nine percent of those with back pain sought medical care; 24% sought care initially from an allopathic physician, 13% from a chiropractor, and 2% from other providers. More prolonged pain, more severe pain, and sciatica were associated with care-seeking. Gender, income, age, rural residence, and health insurance status did not correlate with the decision to seek medical care. Younger age, male gender, and nonjob-related pain did correlate with the decision to seek care from a chiropractor.
Acute back pain is common. Care is often sought regardless of income and insurance status. Seeing a health care provider for acute back pain may not be discretionary from the perspective of the patient.
对北卡罗来纳州4437户家庭中的成年人随机样本进行电话访谈。应答率为79%。
研究特定人群中腰痛的患病率及寻求治疗的相关因素。
以往关于腰痛的研究对腰痛疾病使用了不同的定义，并且将急性和慢性腰痛患者混在一起。本研究将急性腰痛作为与慢性腰痛不同的独特现象进行研究。
受访者完成了关于1991年背痛发生情况及寻求治疗情况的详细访谈。急性背痛定义为功能受限且持续时间少于3个月的疼痛。
在这个样本中，485人在1991年至少有一次急性严重腰痛发作，占成年人口的7.6%。60岁以上人群（5%对8.5%）和非白人（5%对8.5%）报告症状的情况比白人少。39%的背痛患者寻求医疗护理；24%最初寻求全科医生治疗，13%寻求脊椎按摩师治疗，2%寻求其他医疗服务提供者治疗。疼痛持续时间更长、疼痛更严重以及坐骨神经痛与寻求治疗有关。性别、收入、年龄、农村居住情况和健康保险状况与寻求医疗护理的决定无关。年龄较小、男性以及与工作无关的疼痛确实与寻求脊椎按摩师治疗的决定有关。
急性背痛很常见。无论收入和保险状况如何，患者通常都会寻求治疗。从患者的角度来看，因急性背痛去看医疗服务提供者可能不是可自由选择的。
