Back and neck pain are major public health burdens with millions of sufferers around Australia. Now, a nationwide study will for the first time explore the significant impact of these conditions on health and welfare.
Dr Rutger de Zoete with study participants Elyse Bosch (left) and Mary Wing.
Experts from the University of Adelaide are leading the Australian Longitudinal Study on Back and Neck Pain and are working with researchers from the University of South Australia, the South Australian Chronic Pain Statewide Clinical Network at the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health, and peak consumer organisation Chronic Pain Australia.
The study will investigate risk factors for back and neck pain by asking thousands of participants to take part in a comprehensive, annual online survey that will track how their ailments are progressing over several years.
Leading causes of disability globally, back and neck pain are both major health problems for millions of people worldwide.
“Back and neck pain can be debilitating for sufferers. This study will be the first to thoroughly investigate the number of Australians living with one or both of these burdens and their access to and use of healthcare, so we can improve the treatment of these common ailments,” said University of Adelaide pain expert Dr Rutger de Zoete from the School of Allied Health Science and Practice, who is leading this study.
Nearly 200,000 Australians were hospitalised with back problems in 2020-21. Neck pain is also a common health issue, with up to 70 per cent of people worldwide experiencing neck pain at least once in their lives. Chronic back and neck pain can last weeks, months or even years.
“It is widely acknowledged that back and neck pain are major burdens. Currently, there is no longitudinal data on back and neck pain individually and collectively in Australia. This study will meet that need and provide clinicians, researchers, and importantly government and policymakers with crucial information that they can use to improve outcomes,” said Dr de Zoete.
Self-reported clinical presentations of patients with back and neck pain will also be investigated as part of the study.
This study will be the first to thoroughly investigate the number of Australians living with one or both of these burdens and their access to and use of healthcare, so we can improve the treatment of these common ailments.Dr Rutger de Zoete, School of Allied Health Science and Practice, University of Adelaide
“I see many patients with back and neck pain each year. While back and neck pain are common problems, there is still so much that remains unknown about the risk factors and best treatments,” said the University of South Australia’s Professor Lorimer Moseley AO, who is a leading neuroscientist and pain expert.
It is estimated that both neck and back pain cost the Australian health system $3.4 billion in 2019-20.
“Emergency department admissions, medical imaging, and invasive interventions – the costs of seeking help for serious back and neck pain can escalate quickly. Concerningly, these healthcare costs are vastly disproportionate to the success of available treatments,” said Dr de Zoete.
The data collected from this study will be made available to government and policymakers with the aim of optimising resource allocation, and importantly improving outcomes for patients.
Longitudinal studies are a rich source of data that provide opportunities for ongoing research into key factors influencing health outcomes.
“The hope is that the results of this comprehensive study will help millions of sufferers in Australia improve their quality of life,” said Dr de Zoete.
Researchers are seeking participants from across Australia who suffer from neck and/or back pain to be part of the study.
