A 35-year Trend Analysis for Back Pain in Austria: the Role of Obesity

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2014 Sep 11

PMID 25207972

Citations 15

Authors

Franziska Grossschadl

Wolfgang Freidl

Eva Rasky

Nathalie Burkert

Johanna Muckenhuber

Willibald J Stronegger

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of back pain is constantly increasing and a public health problem of high priority. In Austria there is a lack of empirical evidence for the development of back pain and its related factors. The present study aims to investigate trends in the prevalence of back pain across different subpopulations (sex, age, obesity).

Methods: A secondary data analysis based on five nationally representative cross-sectional health surveys (1973-2007) was carried out. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in private homes in Austria. Subjects aged 20 years and older were included in the study sample (n = 178,818). Obesity was defined as BMI≥30 kg/m2 and adjusted for self-report bias. Back pain was measured as the self-reported presence of the disorder.

Results: The age-standardized prevalence of back pain was 32.9% in 2007; it was higher among women than men (p<0.001), higher in older than younger subjects (p<0.001) and higher in obese than non-obese individuals (p<0.001). During the investigation period the absolute change in the prevalence of back pain was +19.4%. Among all subpopulations the prevalence steadily increased. Obese men showed the highest increase of and the greatest risk for back pain.

Conclusion: These results help to understand the development of back pain in Austria and can be used to plan controlled promotion programs. Further monitoring is recommended in order to control risk groups and plan target group-specific prevention strategies. In Austria particular emphasis should be on obese individuals. We recommend conducting prospective studies to confirm our results and investigate causal relationships.

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