Abstract

Purpose: We measured the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index (OLBPDI) and related factors in patients with low back pain. Methods: The sample consisted of 50 patients who received physical therapy at the physical therapy units of the Andong Seoul Sintong Clinic, St. Luke Clinic, and Yeongju Seoul Sintong Clinic in Andong and Yeongju city from October, 2007, to February, 2008. The OLBPDI questionnaire was administered by 5 physical therapists as a cross-sectional study. Student's t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA/Tukey and Scheffe) were used to analyze OLBPDI score differences. We also used nonparametric statistic analysis (Wilcoxon rank sum test, Median test). Pearson correlation analysis (Spearman correlation analysis) was used to analyze the relationship between OLBPDI and the visual analogue scale (VAS). Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of independent variables on pain scores as defined by the OLBPDI. Results: The average patient age was 37.1 years (range: 18$\sim$78 years old), and time from onset was 21.7 months (1$\sim$180). OLBPD and VAS scores were 12.70 (3.0$\sim$28.0) and 5.14 (1$\sim$8), respectively. OLBPDI scores were 14.4 in patients taking medicine and 11.57 in those who did not. There was a statistically significant relationship between OLBPDI and VAS (r=0.54, p=0.0001; r=0.55, p=0.0001 by Spearman coefficient). Gender ($\beta$=6.14, p=0.0124), age ($\beta$=-2.01, p=0.0324), weight ($\beta$=0.31, p=0.0222), time from onset ($\beta$=1.54, p=0.0044), and VAS score ($\beta$=1.59, p=0.0004) were significantly associated with OLBPD by multiple regression analysis. Conclusion: Variables associated with OLBPD were gender, age, weight, time from onset, and VAS score. Collecting information on the pain index using OLBPDI was acceptable to patients with low back pain. Further research should explore the pain index by using larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods.

Keywords

• Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index;
• Related factors;
• Visual analogue scale