Background: Despite the fact that non-specific low back pain (LBP) is a frequent symptom, its management remains suboptimal in primary care. A plausible reason is the persistence of erroneous fears and beliefs among general practitioners (GPs).
Objective: We aimed to determine the core qualities an educational program should have to reduce erroneous fears and beliefs about LBP among GPs.
Methods: We used a two step-approach. In the first step, meaningful qualities were collected using comprehensive data source triangulation from GPs, experts and literature. In the second step, qualities were extracted by three independent investigators in a standardized manner using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist.
Results: Qualities were collected from 8 GPs, 24 experts and 15 articles. Extraction revealed a wide range of qualities depending on participants' background and literature. After consensus between investigators, the most meaningful qualities included evidence-based messages and web-based interventions (videos and classes) delivered by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. We found no systematic trend for when and how much, and how to tailor the intervention.
Conclusions: Data source triangulation revealed that the core qualities of an educational program targeting fears and beliefs about LBP among GPs should include evidence-based information, web-based interventions and a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Our findings will help us to design a provisional targeted educational intervention. This will be further assessed in a mixed-method feasibility study and then in a randomized controlled trial.
Keywords: Non-specific low back pain; education; fears and beliefs; general practitioners.