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Trajectories of Low Back Pain From Adolescence to Young Adulthood
Author(s) -
Coenen Pieter,
Smith Anne,
Paananen Markus,
O'Sullivan Peter,
Beales Darren,
Straker Leon
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
arthritis care and research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.032
H-Index - 163
eISSN - 2151-4658
pISSN - 2151-464X
DOI - 10.1002/acr.22949
Subject(s) - medicine , young adult , cohort , cluster (spacecraft) , cohort study , latent class model , low back pain , population , quality of life (healthcare) , waist , demography , physical therapy , gerontology , body mass index , environmental health , pathology , statistics , alternative medicine , mathematics , nursing , sociology , computer science , programming language
Objective Despite the high prevalence and burden of low back pain (LBP), understanding of its course during the transition from adolescence to adulthood is limited. The aim of this study was to identify and describe trajectories of LBP and its impact among a general population sample followed from adolescence to young adulthood. Methods Data from followup assessments at years 17, 20, and 22 of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study were used (n = 1,249). Self‐reported LBP and its impact on daily life were assessed, and latent class analysis was used to identify clusters. Resultant clusters were profiled on sex, waist circumference, diagnosed comorbid pain, and health‐related quality of life. Results Four clusters were identified: a cluster of participants with a consistently low prevalence of LBP and its impact (53%) during the period from adolescence to young adulthood, a cluster with an increase in the prevalence of LBP and its impact (22%), a cluster with a decrease in the prevalence of LBP and its impact (15%), and a cluster with a consistently high prevalence of LBP and its impact (10%). These clusters differed markedly on the profiling variables. Conclusion The identified clusters provide unique information on LBP and its impact during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Consideration of these trajectories could be important in the design of early prevention and management strategies.