Abstract

FERREIRA, Salomé  and  PEREIRA, M.Graça. Predictors of quality of life and functional incapacity in patients with low back pain in differentiated treatment. Rev. SBPH [online]. 2011, vol.14, n.2, pp. 160-182. ISSN 1516-0858.

Low back pain is a frequent cause of morbidity and disability and the frequent reason for seeking health care. This study aimed to identify predictors of quality of life and functional disability in patients with chronic low back pain undergoing conventional treatment (physiotherapy) and acupuncture treatment and also contribute to a better understanding of psychological factors in low back pain. Results showed, in the acupuncture group, that the predictors of quality of life were number of years of education, depression, anxiety, satisfaction with treatment’s costs, disability and belonging to an extreme family type while in the group of physiotherapy, the predictors were depression, anxiety, disability and illness consequences. In terms of functional disability, the duration of disease, illness coherence and quality of life were the predictors in the acupuncture group while quality of life and strategies for active pain relief were predictors of functional disability in the physiotherapy group. Implications of the study on quality of life and functional disability of patients with low back pain as well as the limitations of the study are presented and discussed.

Keywords : Low Back Pain; Quality of Life; Functional Incapacity; Acupuncture; Physiotherapy.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )