Managing Low Back Pain in the US
Author Information
Author(s): Licciardone John C
Primary Institution: The Osteopathic Research Center, University of North Texas Health Science Center
Hypothesis
What is the epidemiology and medical management of low back pain during ambulatory medical care visits in the United States?
Conclusion
The management of low back pain in the US is suboptimal, with an over-reliance on surgery instead of conservative treatments.
Supporting Evidence
- 61.7 million patient visits for low back pain were recorded.
- Only 55% of visits were by primary care physicians.
- Osteopathic physicians were more likely to provide care than allopathic physicians.
Takeaway
Many people visit doctors for back pain, but they often get surgery instead of simpler treatments like counseling or medicine.
Methodology
Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) for 2003-2004 was analyzed, focusing on patient visits for low back pain.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported data and the exclusion of certain patient demographics.
Limitations
The study only included visits where low back pain was one of the top three reasons for seeking care, potentially missing less significant cases.
Participant Demographics
Predominantly adults aged 25-64, with a majority being female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 1.75–3.92
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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