Survey of Acute Low Back Pain Management by Specialty Group and Practice Experience

Details

• Personal Author:
  Christiani, David C. ; Courtney TK ; Huang Y-H ; Matz S ; Webster BS
• Description:
  Objective: The objective of this study was to explore concurrence with evidence-based management of acute back pain by primary care specialty and years in practice groups. Methods: Participants randomly selected from five American Medical Association physician groups were surveyed asking their initial care recommendations for case scenarios with and without sciatica. Response differences were compared among groups and with the Agency for Health Research Quality's guideline. Results: Response rate was 25%. Emergency physicians were least likely to order diagnostic studies for both cases but more often made recommendations likely to promote inactivity. Occupational physicians were less likely to order diagnostic studies and more likely choose treatments conducive to increasing activity. The longer physicians were in practice, the less likely they were to follow recommendations. All specialty groups selected more nonevidence-based interventions for the patient with sciatica. General practitioners were least likely to follow the guidelines in either case. Conclusions: Despite widespread dissemination of acute low back pain guidelines, the study suggests a lack of adherence by certain primary care groups, physicians with more practice experience, and in specific areas of management. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aging Delivery Of Health Care Health Personnel Men Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety Women
• Keywords:
  Age Groups Back Pain Humans Low Back Disorders Low Back Pain Medical Care Physicians
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  48
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20059818
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2006 Jul; 48(7):723-732
• Contact Point Address:
  Barbara S Webster, Center for Disability Research, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, Hopkinton, Massachusetts 01748
• Email:
  barbara.webster@libertymutual.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20030701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20050630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:be36ccab254603a7bc62bc931cba5f4db7cc10ff88f999ffb0bf7f880a494838541af6624481e85724a0290305a31b612578f13290343b7fb276cbe628528322
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/223886/cdc_223886_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 258.88 KB ]