Group Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Low-Back Pain in Primary Care

Sarah E. Lamb, DPhil

Warwick Clinical Trials Unit
Warwick Medical School
University of Warwick
Coventry, UK

Chronic low-back pain is a debilitating condition that has become increasingly common during the last two decades. The increased prevalence has translated into rising associated costs from health care expenditures, lost wages, and reduced work productivity. Although guidelines commonly recommend multimodal treatment strategies for chronic low back pain, specific guidance on psychological treatments is often lacking owing to a paucity of well-designed clinical trials with long-term follow-up. Nevertheless, some evidence suggests that behavioral interventional can provide some benefit to select patients. Interventions that include simulated or actual work with a cognitive-behavioral component, for example, may reduce work absenteeism among injured workers. In this study, Dr. Lamb and colleagues have examined the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy in primary care patients with functionally impairing subacute or chronic low-back pain.

References

Lamb SE, Hansen Z, Lall R, et al. Group cognitive behavioural treatment for low-back pain in primary care: a randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness analysis. Lancet. 2010;375(9718):916-923.
Freburger JK, Holmes GM, Agans RP, et al. The rising prevalence of chronic low back pain. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169:251-258.
Chou R, Qaseem A, Snow V, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain: a joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:478-491.
Schonstein E, Kenny D, Keating J, Koes B, Herbert RD. Physical conditioning programs for workers with back and neck pain: a Cochrane systematic review. Spine. 2003;28:E391-E395.

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