Family medicine approach to the patients with chronic low back pain: How effective is it?

Abstract

Objective: Treatment of back pain with biopsychosocial treatment and multidisciplinary approach was used to identify the change in pain, physical disability, quality of life and depression levels in chronic idiopathic low back pain (CIBP) patients.

Methods: Randomised 30 patients of CIBP as study and control, were followed for six months. Family medicine principles applied to the study group, no intervention was used in control group. The alteration of life quality, depression, pain and physical disability of patients were evaluated by SF-36 life quality index, Beck depression inventory, visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index.

Results: In study group, exercise adaptation (p<0.001; r=0.001) was higher than control group. Increase in physical role limitation (p=0.03; z=-2.15) and pain (p<0.001, z=-2.89) subunits of life quality index were found significant in study group. Decrease in pain scores were significant in both study (p=0.00, z=-2.85) and control (p=0.02; z=-2.15) group. There was no statistically difference in depression scores between groups (p=0.24; z=-1.12). Physical disability levels were significantly decreased (p=0.04; z=-1.95) in study group.

Conclusion: Regular following up CIBP patients by family medicine approaches, increase compliance of doing exercise and quality of life, also decrease physical disability depending on back pain.