How Common Is Low Back Pain in the Nordic Population?

SpinePublished 1 July 1996

Charlotte Leboeuf‐Yde, N Klougart, Torsten Lauritzen

DOI10.1097/00007632-199607010-00005

Source URL

Citations118

SJR quartileQ1

SJR score1.22

SNIP1.48

TL;DR

The objectives were to estimate the life‐time cumulative incidence and the 1‐year period prevalence of low back pain in the general population, to study whether there are any differences in the occurrence ofLow back pain according to age and sex, and to investigate whether low backPain is on the increase.

Abstract

When data were examined from five methodologically similar studies on the 30- to 50-year-old Nordic population, there was reasonable consistency of prevalence figures. Thus, approximately 66% report having had low back pain at least sometime during their lifetime and approximately 50% sometime during the preceding year, with no significant differences relating to age or sex. The best method to investigate whether low back pain is on the increase might be through replicate studies.

Keywords

MedicineHealth Professions

Applied ErgonomicsStandardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms

5,088 Citations1987Ilkka Kuorinka, Björn Jonsson +5 more

Standardised questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms in an ergonomic or occupational health context are presented and specific characteristics of work strain are reflected in the frequency of responses to the questionnaires.

PainThe prevalence of pain in a general population. The results of a postal survey in a county of Sweden

469 Citations1989Gunilla Brattberg, Mats Thorslund +1 more

Pain was reported most frequently in the age group 45–64, where the prevalence of ‘obvious pain’ was 50% among males as well as females, and over 65 years of age the prevalence was less.

SpineLow Back and Neck/Shoulder Pain in Construction Workers

258 Citations1992Eva Holmström, Jan Lindell +1 more

The relationship to heavy manual materials handling differed with age in such a manner that it could be interpreted as a healthy worker effect and between severe low back pain and both stooping or kneeling a dose-response relationship was found.

SpineThe Prevalence of Low Back Pain in the Literature A Structured Review of 26 Nordic Studies From 1954 to 1993

157 Citations1995Charlotte Leboeuf‐Yde, Jens Lauritsen

A more stringent, systematic, and uniform methodologic approach to studying the prevalence (or incidence) of back pain is needed.

Annals of MedicineDescriptive Epidemiology and Public Health Aspects of Low Back Pain

111 Citations1989Markku Heliövaara, Kai Sievers +5 more

Low back syndrome has a strong impact on individuals and on society as a whole and its consequences in terms of disability, handicap, and need for medical care were studied as part of "the Mini-Finland Health Survey".

SpineReproducibility of the History of Low-Back Trouble

98 Citations1984Fin Biering‐Sørensen, Jørgen Hilden

The reproducibility of auto-anamnestic information concerning low back trouble (LBT) was analyzed in 6 and 12 months' follow-up studies of a general population of 30-, 40-, 50-year-old men and women and of a population of male hospital porters 20-68 years old, suggesting forgetful behavior.

Scandinavian Journal of RheumatologyIs Back Pain Increasing? Results from National Surveys in Finland during 1978/9–1992

87 Citations1994Päivi Leino, Mari‐Anna Berg +1 more

The development in the prevalence of back pain, back diseases diagnosed by a physician, and joint pain were studied in Finland during the period 1978/9-1992 and the prevalence rates of the symptoms remained stationary through the time period.

SpineA Retrospective Study of Low-Back Pain in 38− to 64-Year-Old Women

82 Citations1988HANS-OLOF SVENSSON, Gunnar Andersson +3 more

Investigation of the occurrence of low-back pain in a retrospective cross sectional study of a random sample of 1,760 38 to 64-year-old women found increased LBP when performing certain activities of daily living was common, and significantly more pronounced in the older age group.

PubMedLow back pain in forty to forty-seven year old men. I. Frequency of occurrence and impact on medical services.

69 Citations1982HANS-OLOF SVENSSON, G B Andersson

The incidence and prevalence rates were underestimated when based on interview findings from the participants because among the participants who, during the interview, stated that they had never had LBP there were 27% who had been sicklisted with an LBP diagnosis.

PubMedEbeltoft project: baseline data from a five-year randomized, controlled, prospective health promotion study in a Danish population.

49 Citations1995Torsten Lauritzen, Charlotte Leboeuf‐Yde +2 more

There was considerable interest in participating in health promotion and two out of three of those offered a health talk with the general practitioner appeared willing to make relevant lifestyle changes.