EurekAlert -- Philadelphia, PA, July 7, 2010 – Approximately 10% of low back pain (LBP) sufferers experience persistent pain and significant disability. In a study published in the August issue of Pain, a group of Australian researchers investigating the relevance of health literacy in patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP) found that LBP-related beliefs and behaviors affect a person’s disability more than pain intensity or a standard measure of functional health literacy. However, when delving deeper into aspects of health literacy, important factors were identified which might help to explain disability associated with CLBP, highlighting important factors to consider in the delivery of information for CLBP.
