The Influence of Informal Social Support on Spinal Pain
Author Information
Author(s): Campbell Paul, Wynne-Jones Gwenllian, Dunn Kate M
Primary Institution: Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Keele University, United Kingdom
Hypothesis
Is informal social support associated with the occurrence and prognosis of spinal pain?
Conclusion
The review found inconclusive evidence regarding the effect of informal social support on the risk of spinal pain occurrence and inconsistent evidence on its effect on prognosis.
Supporting Evidence
- Seventeen articles were identified for the review.
- Moderate evidence was found linking social support to psychological outcomes related to spinal pain.
- Cross-sectional studies showed inconclusive evidence of social support's effect on pain.
Takeaway
Having friends and family to help might not stop back pain from happening, but it can help people feel better when they have it.
Methodology
A systematic review of studies on informal social support in populations with nonspecific spinal pain was conducted, analyzing data from 17 articles.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to the variability in how social support was measured across studies.
Limitations
The studies included varied in quality and design, and many had small sample sizes.
Participant Demographics
The review included studies with diverse populations experiencing nonspecific spinal pain.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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