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Grant Proposal: Defining Low Back Pain Recurrence to Evaluate Secondary Prevention of Occupational Low Back Pain

Petrisko, John H. (2006) Grant Proposal: Defining Low Back Pain Recurrence to Evaluate Secondary Prevention of Occupational Low Back Pain. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The public health significance of low back pain results from the economic and social burdens it places on industrialized societies. The primary objective of this paper is to create a definition of low back pain recurrence based on present scientific literature. No unified definition has been offered in current research and a universally accepted definition will help advance the study and treatment of low back pain recurrence. The need for a unified definition comes from the fact it is not easy to compare the various studies of recurrent low back pain. This limitation affects the treatment patients are given and the outcomes they experience. Building on our primary objective of creating a unified definition of low back pain we will then take the definition and use it to evaluate available databases (UPMC Health Plan and Workers' Compensation) for low back pain recurrence. The definition and the available data will be used to evaluate the costs, both direct (medical and workers' compensation) and indirect (related to lost work time, etc, associated with low back pain). This will be useful in comparing the medical and personnel costs aspects of patients with recurrent low back pain to those without recurrent low back pain. By performing this analysis we will be able to estimate the costs savings of effective treatment for low back pain recurrence. Using the definition of low back pain recurrence developed and the data and clinical resources available we will develop an intervention to reduce recurrence rates of work related low back pain. Specific treatment groups will be identified and compared in a prospective analysis to the usual care low back pain patients receive. The results of this aspect of the study will be used to decide if the proposed treatment was able to reduce medical and other costs as predicted when compared to any increased costs specific treatments may entail. Finally, the rationale for a new universally accepted definition of recurrent low back pain will be given. I will then give a brief outline of a step-wise process to be used by future researchers in addressing recurrent low back pain.


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Details

Item Type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Petrisko, John H.jhpetrisko@yahoo.com
ETD Committee:
TitleMemberEmail AddressPitt UsernameORCID
Committee ChairSchwerha, Joseph
Committee CoChairDelitto, Anthony
Committee MemberHarper, Jay
Committee MemberSonger, Thomas
Date: 7 August 2006
Date Type: Completion
Defense Date: 27 June 2006
Approval Date: 7 August 2006
Submission Date: 15 June 2006
Access Restriction: No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: School of Public Health > Occupational Medicine
Degree: MPH - Master of Public Health
Thesis Type: Master's Thesis
Refereed: Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords: definition; low back pain; recurrence
Other ID: http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-06152006-162445/, etd-06152006-162445
Date Deposited: 10 Nov 2011 19:47
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2016 13:44
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8109

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