Can a self-administered questionnaire identify workers with chronic or recurring low back pain?

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Chronic or recurring low back pain is prevalent among office workers.
• Accurate identification of affected workers is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Existing assessment tools require validation for occupational settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ), and physical examination in identifying workers with chronic or recurring low back pain.
• To determine the best instrument for screening low back pain in an occupational context.

Main Methods:

• Fifty office workers (19-55 years) underwent standardized physical examination and completed the NMQ, VAS, and RDQ.
• Discriminant analysis was employed to assess the diagnostic properties of each instrument.
• Health history served as the reference standard.

Main Results:

• A model including only the NMQ achieved a high success rate (94%).
• The NMQ demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 88% specificity for detecting chronic or recurring low back pain.
• Models incorporating the NMQ with other tools showed varying success rates, with the NMQ alone or with physical examination being most effective.

Conclusions:

• The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire is the most effective instrument for identifying workers with chronic or recurring low back pain.
• The NMQ is a suitable self-reported tool for screening low back pain in occupational health settings.