title: A Description and Comparison of Treatments for Low Back Pain in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Low back pain (LBP), a prevalent costly condition, has evidence-based pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments. Because the prevalence of LBP and the use of opioids differ between the U.S. Census Regions, we compared the treatments used for LBP and their related costs between regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Deidentified patient health claims data from persons with LBP along with treatments received were extracted from a large commercially insured data set (2007-2009; N = 1,630,438). Descriptive statistics and analyses of variance were used during data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An opioid was used by 49.8% (n = 812,479) of this sample, whereas nonpharmacological therapies were used less frequently (8%, psychological therapies; 19%, exercise therapies; 12%, physical therapy). The median costs for pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments are variable. We found significant differences in the medications and therapies used in the U.S. Census Regions (p < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overuse of pharmacological treatment and underuse of nonpharmacological treatment are common among persons with LBP. Differences exist in the receipt of various LBP treatments geographically.
authors.affiliation: Elizabeth Salt, PhD, APRN, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Yevgeniya Gokun, MS, College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Anna Rankin Kerr, PhD, Department of Communication, University of Kentucky, Lexington. Jeffery Talbert, PhD, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salt
authors.forename: Yevgeniya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gokun
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rankin Kerr
authors.forename: Jeffery
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Talbert
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid