Compliance for low-back pain patients in the emergency department. A randomized trial

A randomized trial was used to evaluate two forms of a Health Belief Model (HBM) intervention aimed at increasing compliance among low-back pain (LBP) patients visiting an Emergency Department (ED). Patients who received an HBM clinical intervention administered in the ED, HBM phone intervention made 1 to 2 days post-ED visit, or both interventions were much more likely than control patients to both schedule and keep a follow-up referral appointment. Both the phone and clinical interventions were designed to increase patients' perceived susceptibility to complications of the LBP, seriousness of the complications, and benefits and costs of action through a follow-up referral appointment. Other factors predicting compliance included persistence of pain symptoms, previous treatment of LBP by a health care provider, and an unmet need for child care.