Back pain self management groups led by lay people increased self care confidence and reduced activity limitations at 6 months
Question Can a back pain self management group intervention led by trained lay people increase self care confidence and reduce patient worries, activity limitations, and pain?
Design
Randomised, single blind (outcome assessor), controlled trial with follow up at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Setting
Primary care setting in Puget Sound, Washington state, USA.
Patients
255 patients aged 25−70 years (mean age 50 y, 62% women) who were seen in a primary care setting for back pain or strain, a disc disorder, or sciatica and had been enrolled in a health maintenance organisation for ≥1 year volunteered to participate in the study. Patients who were being considered for surgery or planning to withdraw their enrolment from the health maintenance organisation were excluded. Follow up at 12 months was 85%.
Intervention
129 patients were allocated to the back pain self management group, which included 4 sessions of problem solving techniques and development of …
