Psychological evaluation of acute low back pain in hospital workers

Personality, anxiety and depression were assessed in 62 hospital workers divided in three experimental groups: those with acute organic low back pain, those with acute functional low back pain, and asymptomatic control subjects. Results showed no statistical differences between groups in the evaluation of personality. Asymptomatic subjects had significantly lower scores for trait anxiety and depression than did patients suffering from low back pain. Patients with pain of organic origin were also more depressed than were patients with pain of functional origin. Anxiety and depression are two psychological variables which must be examined in acute back pain problems. Further studies should be conducted to develop more accurate psychological instruments to evaluate the large population of patients suffering from low back pain.