EVALUATION OF A LOW BACK PAIN PATIENT EDUCATION PROGRAM

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DESCRIPTION: This is a demonstration project which proposes to evaluate a new generation low back pain patient education program. Patients will be randomized either to the treatment group and followed for 6, 12, 18, and 24 months with the intervention, and then no intervention for 12 months for a control group which consists of usual care with a subscription incentive for 24 months, and then the intervention for 12 months from 24 to 36 months post-study enrollment. The intervention consists of a book and a videotape and is based on interaction with other participants in the program and health professionals through a closed password protected moderated Internet discussion group. Patients with low back pain will be recruited from Silcon Valley Employers and through the Internet, and the assessments will also be conducted through the Internet. Main outcomes will focus on pain, activity limitation, and health care utilization. Process studies will also be conducted to determine patients' use (quality and content) of the computerized intervention, patient satisfaction with the intervention delivery methods, and the quality and quantity of data collected on line compared to the data collected through postal questionnaires. This study is being coordinated with four other low back pain intervention studies that are currently being proposed or conducted at Group Health Cooperative Puget Sound, Indiana University of Multipurpose Arthritis and Muscular Disease Center and Department of Family Medicine at Stanford.