Pain-Related Disability, Self-Efficacy, And Coping Strategies Of Adults With Chronic Low Back PainA Descriptive Correlational Study

Chronic low back pain is a persistent disabling condition that impairs the individual’s functional status and poses as an economic burden to the society. The objectives of this study were to examine the pain-related disability, self-efficacy and coping strategies of adult patients with chronic low back pain and their relationships, the differences in pain-related disability, self-efficacy and coping strategies used among socio-demographic and clinical characteristic subgroups, and to identify the predictors of pain-related disability. A descriptive, correlational questionnaire survey design was used. A convenience sample of 65 patients aged 21 years or above with a diagnosis of chronic low back pain was recruited from a public hospital in Singapore from September 2012 to January 2013. Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Chronic Low Back Pain Self-Efficacy Scale, and Coping Strategies Questionnaire-24 were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, analysis of variance, and Peanson Product-moment Correlation Coefficent were used to analyse the data. The participants had moderate levels of pain-related disability and self-efficacy, and used both active and passive coping strategies. Significant differences in pain-related disability, self-efficacy and coping strategies used were found among subgroups of various socio-demographics. Significant differences in pain-related disability were found within one subgroup of clinical variable. Pain-related disability had a significant negative relationship with self-efficacy and positive relationship with passive coping, while self-efficacy had a significant positive relationship with active coping and a negative relationship with passive coping. Self-efficacy, ethnicity and monthly income were predictors of pain-related disability. Our findings indicate the need to enhance patients’ self-efficacy and reduce the use of passive coping strategies in order to decrease pain-related disability. Future intervention studies improving patients’ self-efficacy and coping are needed to improve patients’ well-being and quality of life.