PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Erik L Werner

Publications and source records attributed to Erik L Werner.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Beliefs about low back pain in the Norwegian general population: are they related to pain experiences and health professionals?

STUDY DESIGN: A baseline study of the general population and the health care providers in 3 Norwegian counties. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if beliefs about low back pain (LBP) are related to personal experiences and profession sought for care. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Myths about LBP that are abandoned by health professionals are still alive in the public. Such myths represent pain avoidance beliefs and passive coping strategies that may hinder normal spontaneous recovery from an episode of LBP. METHODS: A sample of 1502 randomly selected people was interviewed by telephone, and all the 1105 physicians, physiotherapists, and chiropractors in the area were sent a questionnaire in April 2002. All respondents gave their responses in terms of degree of agreement to 6 statements reflecting beliefs about LBP. RESULTS: Personal back pain experiences were important for beliefs about LBP. People with a history of previous back pain had more faith in the 2 statements "Back pain recovers best by itself" (52.2%) and "In most cases back pain recovers by itself in a couple of weeks" (32.5%) than those with current pain (36.9% and 20.9%, respectively, P < 0.000). There were significant differences in beliefs between physicians and the chiropractors concerning the same 2 statements, and these differences were also reflected in the beliefs of patients treated by the different professional groups. CONCLUSIONS: Belief in spontaneous recovery from LBP seems to be positively correlated to previous experience with LBP without current pain. Patients of the various health care providers seem to have a faith in spontaneous recovery similar to that of their health care provider. These differences may frustrate the public and patients who visit more than one provider, and hinder collaboration among professional groups.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Knowledge, practice and attitudes to back pain among doctors, physiotherapists and chiropractors].

BACKGROUND: In Norway, only doctors, physiotherapists and chiropractors are authorised to examine and treat patients suffering from low back pain. This study compares knowledge, attitudes and practice among these professional groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All 1105 doctors, physiotherapists and chiropractors in three Norwegian counties received a questionnaire with one section about knowledge, one about the action that respondents would recommend for various diagnoses, and one focused on attitudes towards back pain. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATIONS: The chiropractors had the largest number of back pain patients in their practice and expressed the highest degree of professional interest in the field. We found no essential differences regarding knowledge between the groups. 77 % of the physiotherapists would refer acute sciatica to a doctor, while only 24 % of the chiropractors would do so. 65 % of the doctors and 10 % of the chiropractors would refer a chronic low back pain patient for physical therapy. Doctors and physiotherapists have a longstanding tradition of mutual cooperation, while chiropractors only seldom seem to refer to other care providers. One in five doctors and chiropractors, and 13 % of the physiotherapists, refer an acute unspecific low back pain to plain X-ray, which is not in accordance with the guidelines. Very few health care providers regarded low back pain as disabling. There are also few professionals who believe it possible to find an exact cause for the back pain in the individual patient.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2002

[How is the general practitioner managing the back pain?].

BACKGROUND: A great number of patients in general practice suffer from low back pain, and the total cost of this patient population is NOK 15 billion. The aim of this study was to find out how family doctors treat their low back pain patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During a two week period in 2001, all family doctors in Aust-Agder county were invited to register all patients suffering from low back pain. They also answered a questionnaire about themselves and their practice. RESULTS: Of the total 80 doctors invited, 53 (66%) recorded their patients, and 48 (60%) also answered the questionnaire. 220 patients were included; i.e. 3.4% of the total number of patients seen in these practices during this period. 81% of the patients underwent clinical examination, 40% were referred to X-ray or CT, 31% to an appropriate specialist, 32% to physiotherapist and 11% to chiropractor. Most of the patients were referred after 12 weeks of pain. 79% of patients received a prescription. Only 24% continued working activity. INTERPRETATION: Most patients in this study receive a medical treatment and a sick leave. More patients are referred to X-ray than what is recommended in the Norwegian guidelines.

Adult↗