Predicting the onset of widespread body pain among children.

Objective: To determine factors associated with, and the predictors of, widespread body pain in children.

Methods: A population-based prospective study was conducted among school children in Northwest England. At baseline, subjects completed a self-report questionnaire on widespread body pain.

Predicting the onset of forearm pain: a prospective study across 12 occupational groups.

Objective: To determine, among workers free of forearm pain, the role of mechanical and psychosocial factors in predicting future onset.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 782 newly employed workers from 12 occupational groups. At baseline, a cohort of 782 workers free of forearm pain was identified and measurement was made about physical and psychosocial aspects of their job and working environment.

Association of widespread body pain with an increased risk of cancer and reduced cancer survival: a prospective, population-based study.

Objective: To determine whether reported widespread body pain is related to an increased incidence of cancer and/or reduced survival from cancer, since our previous population surveys have demonstrated a relationship between widespread body pain and a subsequent 2-fold increase in mortality from cancer over an 8-year period.

Methods: A total of 6565 subjects in Northwest England participated in 2 health surveys during 1991-1992. The subjects were classified according to their reported pain status (no pain, regional pain, and widespread pain), and were subsequently followed up prospectively until December 31, 1999.

National study of cause-specific mortality in rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile chronic arthritis, and other rheumatic conditions: a 20 year followup study.

Objective: To quantify risks for cause-specific mortality among hospitalized patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), and 4 other rheumatic conditions in a nationwide, population based cohort over a 20 year period.

Methods: All subjects were identified from Scottish hospital inpatient records from 1981 to 2000 and were followed up by computer linkage to the national registry of deaths. Expected mortality was calculated from national mortality rates and was related to the observed incidence by the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Predictors of low back pain in British schoolchildren: a population-based prospective cohort study.

Objective: To determine the onset of low back pain (LBP) in schoolchildren and to investigate the role of mechanical and psychosocial factors as risk factors for its onset.

Methods: A prospective population-based cohort study was conducted of 1046 schoolchildren, aged 11 to 14 years at baseline, identified as being free of LBP, from 39 secondary schools in Northwest England. New onset of LBP at 1-year follow-up was measured.

Predictors of hip joint replacement in new attenders in primary care with hip pain.

Background: Studies investigating the factors associated with need for total hip replacement should ideally be based on prospective investigation of new attenders in primary care.

Aim: To determine the incidence of listing for total hip replacement, and its predictors, among attenders in primary care with a new episode of hip pain.

Design Of Study: Prospective multicentre cohort study.

Psychosocial risk factors for the onset of abdominal pain. Results from a large prospective population-based study.

Objective: To determine the psychosocial risk factors for the development of abdominal pain and to determine whether, in those people who consulted, symptoms had been attributed to an organic cause.

Design: Prospective population-based postal survey with follow-up survey at 12 months.

Setting: A mixed sociodemographic suburban area of Manchester, UK.

Oropharyngeal cancer incidence and mortality in Scotland: are rates still increasing?

Oropharyngeal cancer incidence and mortality rates increased in Scotland between the early seventies and late eighties. Although these increases appeared to be cohort based, they were at that time confined to younger age groups. The aim of this study was to examine recent time trends in the incidence and mortality of oropharyngeal cancers in Scotland to determine whether previous increases in incidence and mortality had continued.

Episodes of low back pain: a proposal for uniform definitions to be used in research.

Study Design: Literature review and group discussions.

Objective: To propose uniform definitions for low back pain episodes to be used in research.

Background: Different definitions of episodes have been used in low back pain studies.

Orofacial pain: just another chronic pain? Results from a population-based survey.

Features of somatisation have been shown to predict the onset of widespread body pain. This study aims to determine to what extent persons with orofacial pain syndromes share these features and to what extent they are uniquely related to oral mechanical factors. We have conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey in the South-East Cheshire area of the United Kingdom involving 2504 individuals aged 18-65 years.

Changing trends in incidence of lung cancer by histologic type in Scotland.

Lung cancer is a major public health concern worldwide. Our study aims to examine trends in incidence of lung cancer in Scotland during 1959-97 and by histologic type for 1975-97. In Scotland, lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.

Low back pain in schoolchildren: occurrence and characteristics.

Low back pain in adolescents is perceived to be uncommon in the clinic setting. However, previous studies have suggested that it may be an important and increasing problem in this age-group. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and important symptom characteristics of low back pain such as duration, periodicity, intensity, disability and health seeking behaviour at young ages.

Does chronic pain predict future psychological distress?

Cross-sectional studies have consistently shown a relationship between chronic widespread pain, the clinical hallmark of fibromyalgia, and psychological distress. These studies cannot distinguish the direction of any causal relationship. Recent population based studies have reported that such pain is predictive of future distress.

Risk factors for neck pain: a longitudinal study in the general population.

The objective of the study was to examine the 1-year cumulative incidence of episodic neck pain and to explore its associations with individual risk factors, including a history of previous neck injury. A baseline cross-sectional survey of an adult general population sample made up of all 7669 adults aged 18-75 years, registered with two family practices in South Manchester, United Kingdom, identified the study population of adults with no current neck pain. This study population was surveyed again 12 months later to identify all those who had experienced neck pain during the follow-up period.