Acute low back pain self-management intervention for urban primary care patients: rationale, design, and predictors of participation.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the rationale and design of a self-management program for low-income, urban, primary care patients with acute low back pain. Issues related to recruitment and protocol delivery, and attendance patterns and predictors of program attendance are described.


METHODS
Two hundred eleven adult patients (73% female; 60% African American) were recruited from primary care neighborhood health centers. Focus groups were conducted for program development, and participants then completed a baseline interview and were randomized into groups receiving either usual care or a self-management intervention.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine percent of the intervention group attended the self-management class. Significant predictors of attendance included being older, reporting less income, and not working for pay. Attendees did not differ from nonattendees on back pain severity, symptoms, health-related quality of life, self-management processes, or satisfaction with care.


CONCLUSIONS
Effective minimal-contact behavioral interventions are needed to reach larger portions of the patient population.
Damush
Teresa M
TM
Indiana University Center for Aging Research, Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA. tdamush@regenstrief.org
Weinberger
Morris
M
Clark
Daniel O
DO
Tierney
William M
WM
Rao
Jaya K
JK
Perkins
Susan M
SM
Verel
Kelly
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D018579:Patient Selection; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D014505:Urban Population