LOW BACK PAIN: POSITIVE CORRELATION OF LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND PAIN INTENSITY. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Purpose: To record the incidence of low back pain in pain clinics in Greece and to determine whether patients’ demographic and socioeconomic characteristics affect the intensity of pain and their emotional situation. Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients complaining about low back pain was conducted at six different pain clinics. Multiple linear regression analysis in a stepwise method was used. Statistical significance was set at [Formula: see text] and analyses were conducted using SPSS statistical software. Results: Most of the patients were women (69.7%), over 60 years old (64.2%) and had low income (76.2%). University alumni and patients with postgraduate studies having less intense pain than primary/middle school and high school graduates ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text], respectively). Female sex ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]), painkillers use ([Formula: see text]; SE [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) and increased pain score ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) were associated with greater negative emotions. Age ([Formula: see text]; SE [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text] for patients 60–69 years old and [Formula: see text]; SE [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text] for patients over 70) and marital status ([Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text]) were associated with more positive emotions. Conclusions: Many patients visit pain clinics complaining about low back pain. Their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics seem to affect their pain and their emotional situation.