The one-year prevalence of nonspecific back pain in public primary health care establishments among 1.7 million people in western Sweden.

Aim: The one-year prevalence of diagnosed nonspecific back pain in Sweden is not known. Thus, this observational register-based study aimed to evaluate this prevalence by using data from the Region Västra Götaland, inhabiting 1.7 million people.

Methods: Data from 2014 to 2018 were extracted from the VEGA database register. This register holds all health data from the publicly funded health care establishments in Region Västra Götaland. Aggregated data are presented as the one-year prevalence of unique individuals diagnosed with nonspecific back pain (i.e., the ICD-10 code M54). Stratification by health care level, gender, age, and M54 sub-diagnoses were made.

Findings: Between 2014 and 2018, the annual prevalence of diagnosed nonspecific back pain in public primary health care increased from 4.8% to 6.0% (26% increase, P < 0.001, CI 25-27%). In 2018, the one-year prevalence was 7.2% among women and 4.8% among men (50% difference, P = 0.001, CI 49-52%). The one-year prevalence increased by age, and the highest figure (11%) was seen in the age group of 80-84. Low back pain, M54.5, was the most common sub-diagnosis. The one-year prevalence was significantly higher (P < 0.001) among women in all the M54 sub-diagnoses.

Conclusion: The one-year prevalence of diagnosed nonspecific back pain was 6% in public primary health care in 2018 and has increased since 2014. Women were diagnosed considerably more frequently than men. Publicly funded rehabilitation efforts, as well as actions focusing on the prevention of back pain, is probably money well spent.