Low back pain and disability and back pain myths in Belgium in 2020: Prevalence and interrelationships

Details

Supervisors

Demoulin, Christophe ; Pitance, Laurent

Faculty

Faculté des sciences de la motricité

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences de la motricité, orientation générale

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) is an important cause of disability and is considered as a real socioeconomic scourge worldwide. LBP-related misbeliefs are reported to be a psychosocial component which needs to be taken into consideration. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of LBP and misbeliefs in the Belgian general population and compare the data to a similar study conducted in 2004. Several recruitment methods were used to include Belgian participants who were invited to fill in a battery of questionnaires (general information, questions about LBP-related prevalence, disability and beliefs by means of the LBP Beliefs Questionnaire (LBPBQ)). 3,724 participants were recruited. The 6-month LBP-prevalence was estimated at 87.5%. Among these people, 10.6% reported a disability in everyday life for more than 14 days in the last six months. The LBPBQ indicated that some LBP-related myths still exist. However, the LBPBQ revealed less misbeliefs than in the study conducted in 2004 study. In conclusion, although the recruitment methods differ from the study conducted in 2004, the present study suggest an increase of the LBP prevalence in the Belgian population but a decrease of the LBP-related misbeliefs (however, several myths were still present). Therefore, efforts to improve information and management related to LBP are still necessary in Belgium.