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Illness Perceptions Explain the Variance in Functional Disability, but Not Habitual Physical Activity, in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Cross‐Sectional Study
Author(s) -
Leysen Marijke,
Nijs Jo,
Van Wilgen C. Paul,
Struyf Filip,
Meeus Mira,
Fransen Erik,
Demoulin Christophe,
Smeets Rob J.E.M.,
Roussel Nathalie A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
pain practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1533-2500
pISSN - 1530-7085
DOI - 10.1111/papr.12642
Subject(s) - psychosocial , visual analogue scale , medicine , oswestry disability index , low back pain , physical therapy , explained variation , cross sectional study , chronic pain , clinical psychology , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology , machine learning , computer science
Although the importance of psychosocial factors has been highlighted in many studies in patients with chronic low back pain ( CLBP ), there is a lack of research examining the role of illness perceptions in explaining functional disability and physical activity in patients with CLBP . Aim The aim of the study was to explore the value of illness perceptions in explaining functional disability and physical activity in patients with CLBP. Methods Eighty‐four participants with CLBP (of > 3 months' duration) completed a battery of questionnaires investigating psychosocial factors (Pain Catastrophizing Scale [ PCS ], Illness Perceptions Questionnaire Revised [ IPQ ‐ R ], and 36‐Item Short Form mental health scale [ SF ‐36_ MH ]) and perceived pain intensity (visual analog scale [ VAS ]), as well as the Oswestry Disability Index ( ODI ) and Baecke questionnaire. The latter 2 were entered separately as dependent variables in a regression analysis. Results The combined variables ( VAS , PCS , SF ‐36_ MH , IPQ ‐ R ) accounted for 62% of the variance in functional disability ( ODI ). Adding the results of the IPQ ‐ R to the scores of the other 3 variables ( VAS , PCS , SF ‐36_ MH ) significantly increased the explained variance of ODI scores in CLBP patients, yielding 18% additional information ( P < 0.01). Only 5% of the variance in the Baecke questionnaire was explained by combining the 4 variables. None of the single variables alone made a significant contribution to R ². Conclusions Illness perceptions are an important factor for explaining functional disability, but not for explaining habitual physical activity in CLBP patients.