THE PREVALENCE OF LOW-BACK-PAIN AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS - A NATIONWIDE, COHORT-BASED QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY IN FINLAND

Study Design. A nationwide, cohort-based cross-sectional questionnaire survey as a part of a population study. Objectives. To evaluate the p revalence of low back pain among Finnish children and adolescents. Sum mary of Background Data. Low back pain is common already in adolescenc e, but the results concerning sex differences and peak age of the prev alence have been partly controversial. Also, previous studies have bee n limited to smaller geographic areas. Methods. The subjects were 594 girls and 577 boys, a total of 1171 children and adolescents. They wer e pupils of 45 different public schools. Various areas of Finland were included in the sampling process to represent different parts of the country and different living conditions, The subjects completed a vali dated questionnaire by themselves or with the help of a parent or guar dian. The questionnaire was checked by a supervisor when entering the field study. The questionnaire included items that investigated the su bjects' past and current low back pain. Low back pain was classified o n the basis of timing, duration, and location. Subjects reporting pain in the low back area that interfered with school work or leisure acti vities during the previous 12 months were defined as having low back p ain. Results. The prevalence of back pain was low (1%) among the 7-yea r-old and 10-year-old (6%) schoolchildren, but increased with age, bei ng 18% both among 14- and 16-year-old adolescents, No gender differenc e was found, Recurrent or chronic pain was reported by 26% of the boys and 33% of the girls who reported low back pain, and the proportion o f recurrent and chronic pains of all low back pain incidents increased with age. Conclusions. Low back pain is a relatively common complaint at adolescence, In addition, a significant part of the pains are recu rrent or chronic already with 14-year-old adolescents.