Anxiety Symptoms and Associated Factors Among Chronic Low Back Pain Patients in China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety symptoms among patients with chronic low back pain and explore its related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with chronic low back pain from two general hospitals in China. Anxiety symptoms were assessed by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the association between demographic characteristics, pain severity, pain self-efficacy, family functioning and anxiety symptoms. Results: This study involved 1,172 chronic low back pain patients, with an effective rate of 94.67%. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms among patients with chronic low back pain in China was 23.89%. In the binary logistic regression, patients with more severe pain (OR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.11-1.18) and pain duration between 1~5 years (1~3 years: OR = 2.45, 95%CI: 1.38-4.36; 3~5 years: OR = 2.99, 95%CI: 1.49-6.00) had a higher risk to anxiety symptoms. In contrast, patients with higher monthly income (OR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.39-0.98), better family functioning (highly functional family: OR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.13-0.37; moderately dysfunctional family: OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.27-0.72) and higher pain self-efficacy (OR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.94-0.96) had a lower risk to anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: The prevalence of anxiety symptoms among chronic low back pain patients was high in China. Targeted intervention measures should be taken to reduce anxiety symptoms levels of chronic low back pain patients.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Few studies have focused on depressive symptoms among patients with chronic low back pain in China. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: From May to August 2021, 1,172 patients with chronic low back pain were recruited in China. Depressive symptoms were assessed through the Patient Health Questionnaire. Associations of demographic characteristics, clinical characters and social-psychological factors with depressive symptoms were investigated among patients with chronic low back pain. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 25.00%. Logistic regression analysis found that duration of pain in 1-5 years (1-3 years: OR = 2.91, 95%CI: 1.65-5.14, 3-5 years: OR = 3.09, 95%CI: 1.55-6.15) and more severe pain (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.10-1.17) were associated with higher risks of depressive symptoms. Better family function (good family function: OR = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.15-0.41, moderate family dysfunction: OR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.29-0.77) and higher pain self-efficacy (OR = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.93-0.95) were associated with lower risks of depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Patients with chronic low back pain have a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in China. Duration of pain, pain severity, family function and pain self-efficacy were predictors of depressive symptoms among chronic low back pain patients in China. Early identification of the associated factors may be helpful for the timely management of depressive symptoms.