[Disability from low back pain in Spain].
BACKGROUND
Nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is very common and the economic impact of absenteeism has not been completely established in Spain.


METHODS
We have valued LBP and the cost of worker's compensation in Spain with the available information between 1993-1997.


RESULTS
The mean LBP was 55,388 per year (SD 9,230.1). The transitory LBP disability was 21.9 days, with a range between 19.7 and 24.2 days. The total cost of worker's compensation LBP claims was 11,000 million pesetas/year, and the mean cost by worker was 209,666 pesetas/year.


CONCLUSIONS
The worker's compensation LBP claims was higher in Spain that in the European Union.
González Viejo
M A
MA
Servicio de Rehabilitación, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona. glezviej@ns.hugtip.scs.es
Condón Huerta
M J
MJ
D000041:Absenteeism; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics