Explanatory and diagnostic labels and perceived prognosis in chronic low back pain.

Study Design: Content analysis of patient interviews, clinic letters, and radiology reports for patients with chronic low back pain of greater than 12 months duration.

Objective: To explore the language used by patients and healthcare professionals to describe low back pain and any potential effect on patient perceived prognosis.

Summary Of Background Data: Diagnostic explanations by healthcare professionals may influence patient coping and uptake of therapy by patients with chronic low back pain.

Beliefs about the causes and consequences of pain in patients with chronic inflammatory or noninflammatory low back pain and in pain-free individuals.

Study Design: Case control study including 2 groups of patients with low back pain (LBP, inflammatory and noninflammatory) and a pain-free community control group.

Objective: We explored whether pain beliefs differ between patients with chronic LBP attributed to inflammatory or noninflammatory medical diagnoses, and between patients with chronic LBP and pain-free controls.

Summary Of Background Data: Beliefs strongly influence patients' engagement in and response to treatments for chronic LBP.