Research on pediatric low back pain in association with quality of life and psychosocial factors

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09222
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: Toru Hirano 新潟大学, 医歯学総合病院, 特任教授 (10334682)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 腰痛 / 小児 / 心理社会的要因 / 生活の質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A questionnaire survey on lower back pain was sent to approximately 2,500 second-year junior high school students living in Niigata City, and the following findings were obtained from an analysis of the 1,284 responses returned. 1. Back pain reduces overall quality of life, including physical and psychosocial function. 2. The more severe the back pain, the lower the QOL. 3. The association between low back pain and QOL is more pronounced for physical function than for psychosocial function. 4. The association between back pain and behavioral and emotional problems is not so significant. Although back pain reduces quality of life in children just as it does in adults, it was suggested that psychosocial factors may be less involved than in adults.

Free Research Field

整形外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本邦では小児の腰痛に関する疫学研究は少なく、特に腰痛と生活の質 (QOL)や心理社会的要因の関連の報告はほぼ皆無である。本研究はこれらの関連を本邦で明らかにした初めての研究である点に学術的意義がある。中学2年生における腰痛の頻度 (8.2 %)は、国民基礎調査の腰痛の頻度（女性 11.2%：男性 9.2%）と近似していた。また、小児においても腰痛はQOL低下と明確に関連していた。特に腰痛はQOLのうち身体機能と特に関連が強く、心理社会的機能よりもその関連は強かった。このことは、小児の腰痛は成人とは異なり、心理社会的要因との関連が低いことを示唆しており、治療アプローチに重要な情報となりうる。