The Back Disability Risk Questionnaire for work-related, acute back pain: prediction of unresolved problems at 3-month follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the validity of the Back Disability Risk Questionnaire (BDRQ) to predict developing chronic back disability.


METHODS
Five hundred nineteen working adults (67% male) seeking outpatient care for acute, work-related back pain (<or=14 days) completed the BDRQ. After the initial medical evaluation, clinicians provided prognostic impressions in a 10-item questionnaire. Pain, functional limitation, and work status were assessed at 3-month follow-up.


RESULTS
In multivariate analyses, the presence of persistent pain, functional limitation, or impaired work status (31.4%) was predicted by six BDRQ questions: injury type, work absence preceding medical evaluation, job tenure, prior back surgery, worries about re-injury, expectation for early return-to-work, and stress. Classification accuracy at 3 months was 76.3%. Initial clinician impressions showed no multivariate associations with outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
The BDRQ may provide prognostic information not observed in a routine medical evaluation for acute BP.
Shaw
William S
WS
Liberty Mutual Center for Disability Research, Hopkinton, MA 01748, USA. william.shaw@libertymutual.com
Pransky
Glenn
G
Winters
Thomas
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires