Evaluating a primary prevention program in a multicultural population: the importance of representations of back pain.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out during 4 years of longitudinal research assessing back pain problems and the impact of a back pain primary prevention program on the employees of a food and non-food chain store. The impact of the teaching program was reevaluated in a secondary analysis, taking into account subjects' prior representations of back pain.


METHODS
Subjects were grouped according to their cultural origins and socioprofessional levels. Their representations were assessed by means of open questions before and after the teaching program.


RESULTS
The teaching program reinforced pre-existing representations in those participants socioculturally nearest the teachers; it had a weak or even disturbing impact on those furthest removed from the teachers in sociocultural terms.


CONCLUSIONS
The differential impact of the teaching program in this study indicates that participants' prior representation play a role in the outcome of a Back School teaching program. Thus, the participants' representations should be taken into account when designing the program and when assessing participants' suitability for such programs, their adherence, and the outcome.
Cedraschi
C
C
Division of Rheumatology, University Cantonal Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
Perrin
E
E
Fischer
W
W
D001416:Back Pain / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D016272:Occupational Health; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation