Australia’s back pain burden
December 17, 2012
LOWER back pain and
osteoarthritis are now ranked
second only to cancer as a leading
cause of disease burden in
Australasia, whilst lower back pain
is the highest contributor to
disability in the world.
The finding comes from an
Australian study, Global Burden of
Disease, which was published this
month in The Lancet.
The study, led by Monash
University’s Prof Rachelle
Buchbinder and Prof Lyn March of
the University of Sydney, looked at
research from 47 countries, and
found that the global burden of
disability due to lower back pain
was previously underestimated.
During their study, the
researchers found 116 studies
measuring the prevalence of lower
back pain worldwide and found 780
estimates from 47 countries.
Interestingly, the researchers
noted that the prevalence of low
back pain was higher in women and
peaked in adolescence and at age
65 years.
Looking at Australiasia, the
researchers found that
musculoskeletal conditions
account for 15 percent of the total
burden of death and disability, just
behind cancer at 16.2 percent
followed by heart disease, mental
health and substance abuse at
around 13 percent.
“These are all important health
issues and recognised as national
health priorities by the Australian
government but to date
musculoskeletal conditions has not
received an equitable level of
priority,” said Professor Buchbinder.
“With ageing populations, it is
highly likely that this burden will
increase, suggesting that the health
and research priorities that
governments and others give to
low back pain should be increased,”
she said.
“Research is urgently needed to
develop effective prevention and
treatment strategies with the
potential benefits of public health
interventions likely to be
substantial,” she added.
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