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Psychosocial Impact of Chronic Back Pain: Patient and Societal Perspectives

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Handbook of Spine Technology

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Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent, poorly managed condition that is the number one cause of years lived with disability (YLDs) around the world. It is estimated that one in four prevalent cases of LBP is responsible for 77% of the YLDs. The socioeconomic burden of LBP, particularly in developed countries, is enormous with medical expenditures rivalling that of diabetes or ischemic heart disease. The individual burden of LBP is also tremendous and commonly results in psychosocial distress and dysfunction. The most commonly cited negative prognostic psychological factors are depression, fear-avoidance, and pain catastrophizing. However, pain self-efficacy and patient beliefs have been found to even more strongly associate with actual outcome. Qualitative studies of chronic LBP patients have relieved consistent themes reflecting difficulties in coping with a sense of stigmatization that is associated with an invisible problem, loss of wellness, loss of self, loss of relationships, and loss of the future. For chronic LBP, both exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are now recommended as first-line treatments that should be considered for routine use in addition to providing education regarding the nature of LBP and advice to remain active. These recommendations necessitate timely assessment, regardless of duration of symptoms, in LBP patients for the complex biopsychosocial prognostic factors that may impact patient and societal outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arthritis Program, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada

    Y. Raja Rampersaud MD

  2. Department of Surgery, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Y. Raja Rampersaud MD

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  1. Y. Raja Rampersaud MD
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Correspondence to Y. Raja Rampersaud MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Institute, Allegheny Health Network, Drexel University, Allegheny General Hospital Campus, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Boyle C. Cheng

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Hamilton Hall

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Rampersaud, Y.R. (2021). Psychosocial Impact of Chronic Back Pain: Patient and Societal Perspectives. In: Cheng, B.C. (eds) Handbook of Spine Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44424-6_135

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