title: Pain perception differences between patients and physicians: a pain severity study in patients with low back pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Perception, definition and tolerance of pain vary individually because of its subjective character. This study aimed to determine the perception differences between patients with mechanical low back pain (MLBP) and their physicians regarding the assessments of the patients' pain severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  181 patients with MLBP and 2 physicians took part in the study. Before the initial examination, the patients filled out a questionnaire consisting of demographic data, pain characteristics, Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (MODQ) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The patients' forms were concealed from the physicians. Then physicians examined their patients and rated their pain severity using a different VAS form.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 36.2 ± 12.3 years. 64.6% (n:117) were female, 71.9% (n:13) were highly educated and 57.1% (n:103) were obese. Physicians always rated the patients' pain severity significantly lower than the patients rated their own pain regardless of all demographic data (p < 0.001). Correlation between the VAS scores of patients and physicians were detected as 0.41 (p < 0.001) and the power of the study was calculated as 91.5%. The mean MODQ score of the patients was calculated as 54.4 ± 21.1. Reliability of the questions in MODQ was calculated as alpha:0.87. A moderate correlation between VAS ratings and MODQ was observed (r:0.52, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a main factor directly affecting many outcomes, good communication between patient and physician, is essential to assess the patients' pain more accurately.
authors.affiliation: Gulhane Military Medical Faculty, Department of Family Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oktay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Caglar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Temiz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Golcur
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aydogan
authors.forename: Alpaslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanoglu
authors.forename: Mehmet Can
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ezgu
authors.forename: Ozkan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tehli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires