Care-seeking among individuals with chronic low back pain.
METHODS
This was a stratified, random telephone survey of adults in North Carolina.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of chronic low back pain and the extent to which treatment is sought for this condition.


BACKGROUND
Chronic low back pain is a major problem. Previous studies often have combined acute and chronic back pain.


METHODS
Telephone interviews regarding back pain were conducted with 4437 North Carolina adults during 1992.


RESULTS
Chronic back pain affects 3.9% of the North Carolina population. Thirty-four percent considered themselves permanently disabled and 52% assessed their overall health as fair or poor. The median number of bed-disability days per year was three. Seventy-three percent saw a health care provider. Of those who sought care, 91% saw a medical doctor, 29% saw a physical therapist, and 25% saw a chiropractor. Use of technology was extensive: 37% received a computed tomography scan, 25% received a magnetic resonance imaging scan, and 10.4% underwent surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic back pain is common, and the level of care-seeking and costs of care among those afflicted are extremely high.
Carey
T S
TS
Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
Evans
A
A
Hadler
N
N
Kalsbeek
W
W
McLaughlin
C
C
Fryer
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004180:Direct Service Costs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies