title: Backache- its nature, incidence and cost.
abstract: In 1974 in California, 72,645 patients were admitted to hospital for backache. In 50 percent of these patients there was a diagnosis compatible with discogenic disease. Surgical treatment was done in 27 percent of the patients admitted to hospital. Total figures were determined for hospital costs and the costs of physician-related services. Costs for surgical treatment exceeded medical costs. Extrapolated to a national scale, it appears that the national cost for patients in hospital because of backache in 1974 was $1.38 billion. This does not include outpatient care expense or loss of income.
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D002140:California; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans