Decreasing prevalence of chronic back pain in Catalonia. Analysis of the Catalan Health Survey

Abstract

Objectives: Chronic back pain is one of the main health problems reported by the adult population and its prevalence is influenced by different sociodemographic, work and lifestyle-related factors. The aim of this study was to describe the trend in the lifetime prevalence of chronic back pain in the adult Catalan population between 2011 and 2018 and its associated factors.

Study design: Cross-sectional study. Secondary analysis of a health survey.

Methods: Trend in lifetime prevalence of chronic back pain by age and sex groups was estimated from the Catalan Health Survey. Association of chronic back pain with sex, age, health status, lifestyle factors, comorbidities, socio-economic and work-related variables was analysed.

Results: A total of 31,823 people were interviewed between 2011 and 2018. The prevalence of chronic back pain decreased from 29.7% to 24.2% between 2011-2014 and 2015-2018 in the total population with higher prevalence and a greater difference in women (35%-28.50%) than in men (24.2%-19.7%). Factors associated with higher prevalence of chronic back pain were female sex, older age, poor health status, smoking, alcohol consumption, insufficient physical activity, overweight or obesity, mental health problems, lower educational level or social class, dissatisfaction at workplace, poor social support and family financial problems.

Conclusions: The analysis shows a decreasing prevalence of chronic back pain from 2011 to 2018 in the adult population of Catalonia in all age groups and more significantly in women. An improvement of healthy lifestyle habits, social and occupational determinants, could have reduced the burden of chronic back pain in our community.

Keywords: Chronic back pain; Epidemiology; Exercise; Health surveys; Life style.