Low Back Pain Hospitalization in Finnish Military Conscripts
Author Information
Author(s): Mattila Ville M, Sillanpää Petri, Visuri Tuomo, Pihlajamäki Harri
Primary Institution: Centre for Military Medicine, Lahti and Helsinki, Finland
Hypothesis
The study investigates the incidence and trends of low back pain hospitalisation among Finnish military conscripts.
Conclusion
Low back pain hospitalisation causes significant morbidity during military service, despite conscripts being initially healthy.
Supporting Evidence
- 7,240 LBP hospitalisations were identified among 5,061 male conscripts.
- The event-based incidence of LBP hospitalisation was 27.0 per 1,000 person-years.
- 71% of cases were due to unspecified LBP.
- Hospitalisation due to lumbar disc disorders declined from 1993 onwards.
- 1.3% of conscripts were hospitalised for LBP during military service.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many young men in the military got sick with back pain while serving. Even though they were healthy when they started, many ended up in the hospital because of back pain.
Methodology
The study included all male conscripts from 1990 to 2002, analyzing hospitalisation data from the National Hospital Discharge Register.
Potential Biases
The study may have a bias due to the exclusion of female conscripts and reliance on hospitalisation data.
Limitations
The study could not identify less severe LBP episodes due to lack of outpatient records and changes in hospitalisation policies may have influenced results.
Participant Demographics
The average age of conscripts was 20 years, with a BMI of 23.2 kg/m2.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 25.7–28.2
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website