The relation of race to outcomes and the use of health care services for acute low back pain.
METHODS
Four strata of randomly selected health care providers in North Carolina (primary care MDs, Doctors of Chiropractic, orthopedic surgeons, and group model HMO primary care providers) enrolled 1633 consecutive patients with low back pain into a cohort study.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether race had an independent effect on rate of recovery from low back pain, and whether there was any racial disparity in the treatments provided to patients with low back pain.


BACKGROUND
Little research to date has examined the relation between patient race and recovery from an episode of acute low back pain.


METHODS
Consecutive patients were enrolled in the provider's office and contacted by telephone at baseline, at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks, and at 22 months.


RESULTS
Blacks (n = 238) at baseline had higher pain scores on a 10-point scale (5.92 vs 5.25; P< 0.01) and worse functional disability (12.1 vs 11; P= 0.04), as assessed by the 23-point Roland-Morris scale, yet were considered by their health provider as having less severe pain and less likely to have disc disease than white patients (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Blacks had worse functional disability at most follow-up interviews. Blacks were shown to be less likely to receive radiographs (49% vs 40%) or advanced imaging studies (10% vs 6%), even after controlling for income, education, baseline severity of low back pain, and insurance status (P < 0.05). Doctors of Chiropractic had different practice approaches than MDs, and there was an interaction with patient race.


CONCLUSIONS
The relation of patient race to outcomes from and care for low back pain is complex. Blacks have slightly worse functional status than whites on presentation and at follow-up assessment. Blacks receive less intense diagnostic and treatment approaches from MDs, although the severity of their impairment is at least as great.
Carey
Timothy S
TS
Department of Medicine and the Cecil G Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7590, USA. carey@mail.schsr.unc.edu
Garrett
Joanne Mills
JM
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016353:Self-Examination; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People