Self-Efficacy, Self-Management and Use of Smartphone Apps for Low-Back Pain

To explore the self-efficacy and self-management practises of people with low back pain (LBP), including associations between participant characteristics, self-efficacy and self-management. The secondary aim was to describe the characteristics of people with LBP who use smartphone apps for self-management, including app preferences.

Prospective cross-sectional online survey of Australian adults with current or previous LBP. Descriptive statistics were completed for all variables. Associations between participant characteristics, self-efficacy and self-management were explored through linear regression. Alpha was 0.05.

A total of 136 survey responses were included (55.5 ± 14.5 years, 74% female). Most participants (93%) had LBP at the time of the survey and reported constant or daily (58%) pain of moderate severity. Nearly all participants managed their LBP on their own (91%), with the most frequently used self-management options including exercise (47%), advice from health professionals (38%) and pharmacological management (37%). Most self-managed either moderately (35%) or fairly (32%) well, with a mean self-management score of 11.9 ± 4.0 out of 20 and a mean self-efficacy score of 3.6 (±0.8), well above mid-range of 2.5. Lower socioeconomic status and higher scores in personality traits were associated with higher self-efficacy (p < 0.05). Longer duration and increased recurrence of LBP were associated with lower self-efficacy (p < 0.05). Participants with higher self-management scores were female, older, with higher scores in personality traits aside from agreeableness and lower severity of LBP (p < 0.05). Seventeen participants (13%) used apps.

Most adults with LBP self-managed well and had above-average self-efficacy. Smartphone app use was limited, with lack of knowledge a perceived barrier (59%, n = 73).