title: Psychological factors: anxiety, depression, and somatization symptoms in low back pain patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP), investigate the sociodemographic characteristics of patients with LBP, and examine its association with psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, and somatization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the 2742 patients approached, 2180 agreed to participate in this cross-sectional study (79.5% response rate). The survey was conducted among primary health care visitors from March to October 2012 and collected sociodemographic details and LBP characteristics. General Health Questionnaire-12 was used to identify the probable cases. Anxiety was assessed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, depression was assessed with Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and somatization was measured with Patient Health Questionnaire-15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study sample consisted of 52.9% males and 47.1% females. The prevalence of LBP was 59.2%, comprising 46.1% men and 53.9% women. LBP was significantly higher in Qataris (57.9%), women (53.9%), housewives (40.1%), and individuals with higher monthly income (53.9%). Somatization (14.9%) was observed more in LBP patients, followed by depression (13.7%) and anxiety disorders (9.5%). The most frequently reported symptoms were "headaches" (41.1%) and "pain in your arms, legs, or joints" (38.5%) in LBP patients with somatization. The most frequent symptoms among depressed LBP patients were "thinking of suicide or wanting to hurt yourself" (51.4%) and "feeling down, depressed, or hopeless" (49.2%). "Not being able to stop or control worrying" (40.2%), "worrying too much about different things" (40.2%), and "feeling afraid as if something awful might happen" (40.2%) were the most common anxiety symptoms in LBP patients. Psychological distress such as anxiety (9.5% versus 6.2%), depression (13.7% versus 8.5%), and somatization (14.9% versus 8.3%) were significantly higher in LBP patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of LBP in this study sample was comparable with other studies. Furthermore, psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, and somatization were more prevalent in LBP patients compared to patients without LBP.
authors: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar ; Department of Public Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar ; Department of Evidence for Population Health Unit, School of Epidemiology and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Abdulbari
authors: A
authors: Bener
authors: Mohamud
authors: M
authors: Verjee
authors: Elnour E
authors: EE
authors: Dafeeah
authors: Omar
authors: O
authors: Falah
authors: Taha
authors: T
authors: Al-Juhaishi
authors: Josia
authors: J
authors: Schlogl
authors: Alhasan
authors: A
authors: Sedeeq
authors: Shehryar
authors: S
authors: Khan
keywords: anxiety; depression; low back pain; primary health care; somatization
references: Arch Intern Med. 2006 May 22;166(10):1092-7
references: 16717171
references: J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2004 May;27(4):238-44
references: 15148462
references: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2001 Sep 1;26(17):1879-83
references: 11568698
references: Pain. 2008 Sep 30;139(1):209-217
references: 18472217
references: J Neurol Sci. 2001 Nov 15;192(1-2):17-25
references: 11701148
references: Br J Prev Soc Med. 1970 Feb;24(1):18-23
references: 5435083
references: Coll Antropol. 2003 Jun;27(1):95-104
references: 12974137
references: Asia Pac Psychiatry. 2013 Mar;5(1):E29-38
references: 23857793
references: J Occup Environ Med. 1997 Aug;39(8):748-59
references: 9273879
references: Psychosomatics. 2002 Jan-Feb;43(1):42-8
references: 11927757
references: J Korean Med Sci. 2006 Dec;21(6):1086-91
references: 17179692
references: Man Ther. 2004 Feb;9(1):30-5
references: 14723859
references: Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2005 May;78(4):253-69
references: 15824916
references: BMJ. 2008 Jul 07;337:a171
references: 18614473
references: BMJ. 2000 Jun 10;320(7249):1577-8
references: 10845966
references: Psychosomatics. 1998 May-Jun;39(3):263-72
references: 9664773
references: Pain. 2000 Jan;84(1):95-103
references: 10601677
references: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1998 Sep 1;23(17):1860-6; discussion 1867
references: 9762743
references: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003 Aug 15;28(16):1860-8
references: 12923477
references: J Prim Care Community Health. 2010 Apr 1;1(1):37-42
references: 23804067