Effects of Pain Localization and Duration on Disability and Quality of Life among Individuals with Neck Pain

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to identify effects of pain characteristics on disability and quality of life. Methods : 208 patients with non-specific neck pain diagnosis were included in the study. Patients’ resting, activity and sleep pain intensities were evaluated with Visual Analog Scale . Effects of demographic and clinical data on quality of life and pain were evaluated with Neck Disability Index, Short Form-36 and the Neck OutcOme Score. The data were analyzed in SPSS 11.5 Windows edition. Statistical significance level was accepted to be 0.05. Results: As pain localizations expanded, individuals’ pain scores were higher while their scores of general health such as activities, participation and quality of life were found to be lower. Whereas individuals with chronic pain had higher pain scores, their scores of general health such as mobility, sleep disorder, social functionality and quality of life were found to be lower. Conclusion: Neck pain duration and localization affect individuals’ quality of life and disability.