title: Low back pain and health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.
abstract: Investigation of self-reported of low back pain (LBP) over the last month and associated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of a community-dwelling population aged ≥65.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional study including older adults selected randomly from population records. Data were collected within a sample stratified by age and sex. Physical and psychological healths were investigated using a standardized definition of LBP and the EuroQoL-5D for HRQoL. Analyses were first conducted on the entire sample (N = 3042) and subsequently considering the subsample who reported LBP and a paired sample drawn from the pool of LBP-free respondents.
  
  
  
  889 (29 %) respondents reported LBP within the past month, present 'most days' or 'every day' in 52 % and limiting activities in the same proportion. Average pain score was 4.6 (SD 2.2; 0-10 scale). Age was associated with pain frequency and duration, with younger groups more often reporting pain 'some days' and 'dating back <3 months'. Results of regression analyses showed that individuals suffering from LBP had significantly more problems than LBP non-sufferers on all EQ-5D subscales, except self-care: pain/discomfort (OR 5.33; 95 % CI [4.19-6.79]), mobility (OR 2.66; 95 % CI [2.04-3.46]), usual activities (OR 1.92; 95 % CI [1.42-2.60]), anxiety/depression (OR 1.59; 95 % CI [1.23-2.04]) and self-care (OR 1.29; 95 % CI [0.84-1.98]).
  
  
  
  LBP appears to be a more permanent condition in the older groups. LBP may be a part of the definition of a subgroup of elderly at risk of becoming frail in relation with higher levels of functional limitations, psychological difficulties and social restrictions, hence globally impaired HRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medical Rehabilitation (SMIR-BS), Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 4 Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland. Christine.Cedraschi@hcuge.ch.|Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland. Christine.Cedraschi@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cedraschi
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medical Rehabilitation (SMIR-BS), Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 4 Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luthy
authors.affiliation: Division of General Medical Rehabilitation (SMIR-BS), Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 4 Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Allaz
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.affiliation: School of Health - Geneva, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ludwig
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Community dwelling; Health-related quality of life; Low back pain; Older adults