Biopsychosocial screening questionnaire for patients with low back pain: preliminary report of utility in physiotherapy practice in Northern Ireland.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential utility of a new biopsychosocial screening questionnaire (Acute Low Back Pain Screening Questionnaire) by exploring the relation between it and several physical risk factors and posttreatment outcomes so as to establish a cutoff point for the local population. The relation between the screening questionnaire and valid and reliable outcome measures of pain and functional disability was also explored.


METHODS
Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were conducted on patients referred for physiotherapy for low back pain to a large Healthcare Trust in Northern Ireland. Before initial assessment, patients completed the screening questionnaire and outcome measures, were questioned about known physical risk factors, and then received physiotherapy. At final discharge, the outcome variables--the "number of treatments" and patient's current work status ("return to work [yes/no]")--were recorded, and patients recompleted the outcome measures.


METHODS
One hundred eighteen patients gave written informed consent to participate in this study.


RESULTS
Significant associations were detected between questionnaire scores and pretreatment "leisure time exercise," "analgesic medication use," and "subjective anesthesia"; posttreatment "return to work"; and "number of physiotherapy treatments" as well as pain and functional disability measures. A cutoff "at-risk" score of 112 was calculated, which correctly classified 74% of patients who received more than six treatments and 80% of patients who failed to return to work at the end of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence of the utility of this biopsychosocial screening questionnaire for future use in clinical intervention studies in the Northern Ireland National Health Service. Further comparative investigations in other health care settings are warranted.
Hurley
D A
DA
Rehabilitation Sciences Research Group, Faculty of Social and Health Sciences and Education, University of Ulster at Jordanstown, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. dh.hurley@ulst.ac.uk
Dusoir
T E
TE
McDonough
S M
SM
Moore
A P
AP
Linton
S J
SJ
Baxter
G D
GD
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome