Thanh Tran, School of Public Health, Drexel School of Public Health, 4035 Chestnut Street #207, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215-869-8627, manimaltran@yahoo.com, Jana M. Mossey, PhD, MPH, MSN, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Mail Stop 660 245 N. 15th Street, Bellet Bldg, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, and Rollin M. Gallagher, MD, MPH, Graduate Hospital, Pain Medicine and Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center, 1800 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146.

The self-rated health (SRH) of patients has been established as a strong indicator of developing persistent long-term disabling low back pain[1] and presents as a dose-response like pattern in older adults[2]. Using a large clinical sample of patients with low back pain, our analysis further investigates the association between SRH and physical function, and addresses its importance for quality of life.

Assessment of a nearly consecutive population of pain clinic patients in Georgia (n=4055) was completed utilizing the SF-36 health status questionnaire. Medical histories and physician diagnoses were collected through patient questionnaires and physician evaluation. The sub-sample consists of 1626 individuals (58% female/42% male, mean age=50.03) with symptoms consistent of a diagnosis of LBP.

Analysis indicates that the self-ratings of health (excellent, very good, good, fair, poor) are strongly associated with the eight SF-36 domains, including physical and emotional functioning. Compared to those who rated their health as excellent, patients who rated their health as poor were 10.73 times more likely to be in the lowest quartile of physical functioning. The association between SRH and physical function remains statistically significant after controlling for number of diagnoses.

SRH is an easily-obtained and economical assessment of the subjective health of patients. As a stable measurement, SRH holds promise for identifying patients in the clinic setting whose poor physical functioning may become persistent. We conclude that the complementary assessment of LBP patients utilizing both clinical and self-reported measures, including SRH, is beneficial for proactive pain management and prevention of chronic functional dependency.

Learning Objectives:

• 2. Understand the relationship between self ratings of health and physical function within a pain clinic population
  4. Determine the the extent to which characteristics (including age, gender, ethnicity, medical histories, physician diagnoses, etc.) distinguish among individuals who have a high SRH versus those with a low SRH within individuals who have a low back pain diagnosis
  6. Evaluate the extent to which SRH may be a useful clinical marker for poor pain management prognosis and outcomes

Keywords: Chronic Illness, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.