Table 7 Description of back pain (BP) and neck pain (NP)
First author Publ. year Country | Study design / Population / Method of collection | Sample size | Crude response rate (%) | Outcome definition | Outcome assessment method | Prevalence period | Age | Prevalence* (95% CI) | Risk of bias | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total | M | F | M | F | Total | |||||||||
LBP | Andrianakos [41] 2006 Greece | 1966-99, (19+ yo), the total population in 7 mixed communities + random sample in another 2 mixed communities. Interview, questionnaire + examination (home visit, rheumatologist) | 8740 | 4269 | 4471 | 82 | LBP localized in the back area between the lower limits of the chest and the gluteal folds, either radiating or not along a lower extremity. Past LBP included if recurrent and chronic causes | Self report | Life time | 59-64 | 18 | L | ||
69+ | 19 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Salaffi [79] 2005 Italy | 2004, (18+ yo), stratified randomised sample selected from the practice lists of 16 general practitioner-GPs representative of the practices in the Marches, central Italy. Postal questionnaire | 2155 | ? | ? | 54 | LBP defined as pain localized in the back area between the lower limits of the chest and the gluteal folds, either radiating or not along a lower extremity. Three satisfactory screening criteria: I) Report of ever having had LBP, II) A health care provider visit for LBP in the previous six months, and III) LBP that began more than 3 months previously | Self report | Life time | 65-74 | 29 | U | ||
75+ | 26 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Cecchi [60] 2006 Italy | 1998-2000, (65+), a representative cohort was selected from the registries of Greve in Chianti (rural area) and Bagno a Ripoli (urban area near Florence). Interview, questionnaire + examination (home visit, rheumatologist). | 1008 | 443 | 565 | 80 | Any frequent BP episodes (defined as quite often-almost every day) over the past 12 months | Self report | One year | 65-74 | 20.7 | 38.1 | U | |
75-84 | 26.3 | 44.4 | ||||||||||||
85+ | 25.0 | 25.0 | ||||||||||||
LBP | Hartvigsen [69] 2006 Denmark | 2003, (70–102 yo), twins from the populations-based twin study (LSADT). Interview + questionnaire (home) | 1844 | ? | ? | 84 | Modified version of the standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) on Musculoskeletal Pain | Self report | One year | 72-102 | 21 (19–23) | 32 (29–35) | U | |
LBP | Hicks [71] 2008 USA | (62+ yo), community-dwellers from 4 retirement communities (The Retirement Community Back Pain Study). Postal questionnaire | 522 | 170 | 352 | 52 | “In the past year, have you had any low back pain? If yes, please rate your usual back pain over the past year on a scale from 0 to 10" | Self report | One year | 60-69 | 26.7 | U | ||
70-79 | 30.5 | |||||||||||||
80+ | 24.8 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Picavet [78] 2003 The Netherlands | 1998, (25+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population register (the DMC3-study). Postal questionnaire | 3664 | 45% | 55% | 46 | "Did you have pain [in the lower part of the back] during the past 12 months?" | Self report | One year | 65-74 | 48 | U | ||
75+ | 32 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Santos-Eggimann [80] 2000 Switzerland | 1992-3, (25-74 yo), two-stage probabilistic stratified random sample of inhabitants from the population files of the Vaud-Fribourg & Ticino communes (the WHO MONICA study). Questionnaire (postal) + examination. | 3227 | ? | ? | 61 | The Standardized Nordic Questionnaire: any ache, pain, or discomfort located in the lower back (indicated by the shaded area on a diagram), with or without radiation to one or both legs (sciatica) the preceding 12 months | Self report | One year (>7 days) | 65-74 | 28.5 | 38.5 | L | |
LBP | Goubert [66] 2004 Belgium | 2001, (17+ yo), a representative access panel of individuals who regularly participate in postal surveys. Postal questionnaire | 1624 | ? | ? | 65 | Participants indicated whether they had experienced LBP pain in the past six months (The Graded Chronic Pain Scale) | Self report | Six months | 65+ | 36.7 | U | ||
LBP | Miro [75] 2007 Spain | (65+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population census obtained from the Catalan Statistics Institute, Catalonia. Interview + questionnaire (local primary care centre). | 592 | 274 | 318 | 99 | The Chronic Pain Grade: “In the past 3 months have you had pain that has lasted for one day or longer in any part of your body?” | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 61.0 | L | ||
75-84 | 62.6 | |||||||||||||
85+ | 44.2 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Parsons [77] 2007 UK | 2001-3, (18+ yo), random samples from 16 Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework practices, South East quadrant of the UK. Postal questionnaire | 2501 | 1347 | 1154 | 47 | The Chronic Pain Grade: Any ‘pain which has lasted for 3 months or longer and currently troubles respondents either all of the time or on and off' | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 7 | U | ||
75-101 | 6 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Strine [82] 2007 USA | 2002, (18+ yo), Multistage cluster sample of random households from all 50 states and DC (the NHIS). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 29828 | ? | ? | 96 | “During the past 3 months did you have LBP [lasting a whole day or more and not fleeting or minor]?” [NB. LBP only, NP not included] | Self report | Three months | 65+ | 19.7 | U | ||
(18.4-20.9) | ||||||||||||||
LBP | Hartvigsen [69] 2005 Denmark | 2003, (70–102 yo), twins from the populations-based twin study (LSADT). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 1844 | ? | ? | 84 | Modified version of the standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) on Musculoskeletal Pain | Self report | One month | 72-102 | 20 (17–23) | 30 (27–33) | U | |
LBP | Meyer [74] 2007 USA | 1998-2000, (65+ yo), follow-up of a random sample of members from a random sample of 269 Medicare + Choice plans (the HOS) (NB. Only 2000 data reported here). Questionnaire (home) + interview (phone). | 55690 | ? | ? | 61 | “In the past 4 wk, how often has low back pain interfered with your usual daily activities? (work, school or housework)” | Self report | One month | 65+ | 49.4 | L | ||
LBP | Stranjalis [81] 2004 Greece | 2000, (15+ yo), a 2000 person sample, selected via a multi-stage sampling of rural, semi-urban and urban residents through "random numbers" of starting points followed by "statistical step of five" in 47 cities, towns or villages (until reaching a total of 2000 persons). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 1846 | ? | ? | 92 | "Did you have low back pain during the last month?" | Self report | One month | 65+ | 46.9 | H | ||
LBP | Suka [83] 2009 Japan | 2005, About 1000 persons from five different healthcare facilities were asked to participate. Questionnaire (Health care facility). | 5652 | ? | ? | ? | Musculoskeletal pain for more than 1 week during the last month (marked on a drawing with predefined body regions) | Self report | One month | 60-69 | 23.8 | 23.2 | H | |
LBP | Thomas [87] 2004 UK | (50+ yo), all patients from three GPs from the North Staffordshire Primary Care Research Consortium (the NorStOP). Postal questionnaire | 7878 | ? | ? | 70 | “In the past 4 weeks have you had pain that has lasted for one day or longer in any part of your body?” [supplemented by a full body manikin] | Self report | One month | 60-69 | 35.1 | U | ||
70-79 | 29.9 | |||||||||||||
80+ | 27.3 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Webb [85] 2003 UK | (16+ yo), stratified sample of patients from three GP in West Pennine, East of Manchester. Questionnaire. | 4515 | ? | ? | 78 | Pain lasting for more than 1 week, over the last month, in any of seven areas (back, neck, shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee) or in multiple joints | Self report | One month | 65-74 | 20.6 | 32.1 | U | |
75+ | 17.4 | 30.9 | ||||||||||||
LBP | Yaron [86] 2011 Israel | 2002, 2006, 2008, (20+ yo), stratified sample drawn from a telephone database on different population sectors. Telephone interview + questionnaire | 2520 | 47% | 53% | 59-66 | The Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases core questionnaire (CCQ): “In the past 7 days have you experienced pain in any of the following sites: [ankles]?” | Self report | One week | 61+ | 67.2 | U | ||
LBP | Baek [59] 2010 South Korea | 2005-06, (65+ yo), residents of Seongnam City. Questionnaire + examination (hospital). | 714 | 299 | 415 | 64 | The Oswestry Disability Index on LBP: "pain at the moment" | Self report | Point | 65-69 | 70.1 | H | ||
70-74 | 70.3 | |||||||||||||
75-79 | 81.3 | |||||||||||||
80+ | 70.5 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Carmona [11] 2001 Spain | (20+ yo), a stratified multistage cluster sample from the censuses of 20 municipalities. Questionnaire (home) + interview (rheumatologist). | 2192 | 1014 | 1178 | 73 | LBP defined by self-report. The interviewers were instructed to indicate what was understood by low back and then to ask about pain in that area | Self report | Point | 60-69 | 21.2 | L | ||
70-79 | 12.3 | |||||||||||||
80+ | 4.0 | |||||||||||||
LBP | Freburger [64] 2009 USA | 1992 + 2006, (21+ yo), two-staged stratified probability sample of North Carolina households with telephone numbers (NB only data from 2006 survey is included). Interview + questionnaire (phone). | 2723 | ? | ? | 83 | LBP defined as pain at the level of the waist or below, with or without buttock and/or leg pain. Chronic LBP: 1) pain and activity limitations nearly every day for the past 3 months or 2) more than 24 episodes of pain that limited activity for 1 day or more in the past year | Self report | Point | 65+ | 12.3 | U | ||
LBP | Picavet [78] 2003 The Netherlands | 1998, (25+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population register (the DMC3-study). Postal questionnaire | 3664 | 45% | 55% | 46 | [Lower part of the back] pain during the survey | Self report | Point | 65+ | 23.3 (19.8-26.8) | 29.5 (25.8-33.2) | L | |
BP | Denard [62] 2010 UK | 2000-2, (65+ yo), a random sample of 300 community dwelling men recruited at 6 US academic medical centers (The MrOS cohort). Questionnaire (postal) + examination. | 300 | 295 | 0 | 98 | Any BP in the past 12 months | Self report | One year | 65+ | 65 | U | ||
BP | Keenan [73] 2006 UK | 1993, (55+ yo), a two-stage random sample from the North Yorkshire Family Health Services Authority. Postal questionnaire | 16222 | ? | ? | 86 | Any swelling, pain, or stiffness in any of their joints that lasted >6 weeks in the previous 3 months (identified on a manikin) | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 13.5 (12.2-14.8) | 18.2 (16.8-19.7) | 16.1 (14.7-17.5) | L |
75+ | 11.4 (10.2-12.6) | 19.0 (17.6-20.5) | 16.4 (15.1-17.8) | |||||||||||
BP | Hartvigsen [68] 2004 Denmark | 1995,1997,1999, 2001, (70–102 yo), twins from the populations-based twin study (LSADT). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 4484 | ? | ? | 100 | “Have you during the past month suffered from pain or stiffness in the neck or shoulders?” + diagnosis had been made by a physician | Self report | One month | 70-74 | 14 | 18 | U | |
75-79 | 12 | 17 | ||||||||||||
80-84 | 10 | 15 | ||||||||||||
85+ | 11 | 16 | ||||||||||||
BP | Hartvigsen [70] 2008 Denmark | 2005, (100 yo), all Danes born in 1905 were located through the Danish Civil Registration System. Interview + questionnaire (home). | 256 | ? | ? | 56 | “During the past month, have you been suffering from back pain, acute back pain, or lumbago?” | Self report | One month | 100 | 16.7 | 29.4 | 27.3 | U |
BP | Docking [63] 2011 UK | 1988-90, (75+ yo), original cohort from the 1985 Cambridge City over 75 s Cohort Study randomly chosen from a selection of geographically and socially representative general practices in Cambridge. Interview + questionnaire (home). | 1174 | 35% | 65% | 45% | Have you recently had an illness or condition which prevented you carrying out normal day to day routine? [accompanied by a list of conditions including back pain]. (=Any back pain) | Self report | Point | 77-79 | 27.0 | U | ||
80-84 | 31.1 | |||||||||||||
85-89 | 27.0 | |||||||||||||
90-100 | 29.1 | |||||||||||||
BP | Jacobs [72] 2006 Jerusalem | 1990 & 1998–9, (70 & 77 yo), recruited from the electoral register of the Israeli Ministry of Interior by their serial number’s last digit, West Jerusalem. Questionnaire (home) + examination (hospital). | 277 | ? | ? | 60 | Subjects were asked if they have back pain. Further questions on the duration, frequency, site, and severity of their pain. Chronic BP was defined as reporting pain on a frequent basis | Self report | Point | 70 | 44 | U | ||
77 | 58 | |||||||||||||
NP | Andrianakos [41] 2006 Greece | 1966-99, (19+ yo), the total population in 7 mixed communities + random sample in another 2 mixed communities. Interview, questionnaire + examination (home visit, rheumatologist) | 8740 | 4269 | 4471 | 82 | NP localized in the neck either radiating or not along an upper extremity | Self report | Life time | 59-64 | 9 | L | ||
69+ | 8 | |||||||||||||
NP | Chiu [61] 2006 HongKong | 2001, (15+ yo), residents selected through a two-stage randomization process. Interview + questionnaire (phone). | 664 | 295 | 364 | 66 | “Up to the present time, have you ever had neck pain?” + "at least once in the past 12 months" + "within the past 7 days" | Self report | One year | 65+ | 9.3 | U | ||
NP | Hartvigsen [69] 2006 Denmark | 2003, (70–102 yo), twins from the populations-based twin study (LSADT). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 1844 | ? | ? | 84 | Modified version of the standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) on Musculoskeletal Pain | Self report | One year | 72-102 | 16 (13–19) | 20 (18–22) | U | |
NP | Vogt [84] 2003 USA | 1997-8, (70-79yo), a random sample of age-eligible white Medicare beneficiaries from lists provided by the Health Care Financing Administra-tion and all age-eligible black community residents in designated zip code areas close to the Pittsburgh, PA, and Memphis, TN, field centers (the Health ABC study). Interview + examination | ||||||||||||
(home). | 3075 | 1491 | 1584 | ? | Neck or shoulder pain lasting at least 1 month during the previous year | Self report | One year | 70-79 | 11.9 (10.8-13.0) | U | ||||
NP | Keenan [73] 2006 UK | 1993, (55+ yo), a two-stage random sample from the North Yorkshire Family Health Services Authority. Postal questionnaire | 16222 | ? | ? | 86 | Any swelling, pain, or stiffness in any of their joints that lasted >6 weeks in the previous 3 months. (identified on a manikin) | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 13.1 (11.8-14.4) | 17.3 (16.0-18.7) | 15.4 (14.1-16.8) | L |
75+ | 10.6 (9.4-11.8) | 16.7 (15.3-18.1) | 14.6 (13.3-15.9) | |||||||||||
NP | Miro [75] 2007 Spain | (65+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population census obtained from the Catalan Statistics Institute, Catalonia. Interview + questionnaire (local primary care centre) | 592 | 274 | 318 | 99 | The Chronic Pain Grade: “In the past 3 months have you had pain that has lasted for one day or longer in any part of your body?” | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 52.6 | L | ||
75-84 | 56.4 | |||||||||||||
85+ | 53.5 | |||||||||||||
NP | Parsons [77] 2007 UK | 2001-3, (18+ yo), random samples from 16 Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework practices, South East quadrant of the UK. Postal questionnaire | 2501 | 1347 | 1154 | 47 | The Chronic Pain Grade: Any ‘pain which has lasted for 3 months or longer and currently troubles respondents either all of the time or on and off' | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 5 | L | ||
75-101 | 3 | |||||||||||||
NP | Strine [82] 2007 USA | 2002, (18+ yo), Multistage cluster sample of random households from all 50 states and DC (the NHIS). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 29828 | ? | ? | 96 | “During the past 3 months did you have neck pain [lasting a whole day or more and not fleeting or minor]?” [NB. NP only, LBP not included] | Self report | Three months | 65+ | 4.8 (4.4-5.2) | U | ||
NP | Hartvigsen [68] 2004 Denmark | 1995,1997,1999, 2001, (70–102 yo), twins from the populations-based twin study (LSADT). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 4484 | ? | ? | 100 | “Have you during the past month suffered from pain or stiffness in the neck or shoulders?” + diagnosis had been made by a physician | Self report | One month | 70-74 | 11 | 9 | U | |
75-79 | 12 | 11 | ||||||||||||
80-84 | 11 | 14 | ||||||||||||
85+ | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||||
NP | Hartvigsen [69] 2006 Denmark | 2003, (70–102 yo), twins from the populations-based twin study (LSADT). Interview + questionnaire (home). | 1844 | ? | ? | 84 | Modified version of the standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) on Musculoskeletal Pain | Self report | One month | 72-102 | 19 (16–22) | 24 (22–27) | U | |
NP | Hartvigsen [70] 2008 Denmark | 2005, (100 yo), all Danes born in 1905 were located through the Danish Civil Registration System. Interview + questionnaire (home). | 256 | ? | ? | 56 | “During the past month, have you been suffering from stiffness or pain in the neck or shoulders?” | Self report | One month | 100 | 19.1 | 22.6 | 22.1 | U |
NP | Thomas [87] 2004 UK | (50+ yo), all patients from three GPs from the North Staffordshire Primary Care Research Consortium (the NorStOP). Postal questionnaire | 7878 | ? | ? | 70 | “In the past 4 weeks have you had pain that has lasted for one day or longer in any part of your body?” [supplemented by a full body manikin] | Self report | One month | 60-69 | 22.9 | U | ||
70-79 | 17.7 | |||||||||||||
80+ | 14.9 | |||||||||||||
NP | Webb [85] 2003 UK | (16+ yo), stratified sample of patients from three GP in West Pennine, East of Manchester. Questionnaire. | 4515 | ? | ? | 78 | Pain lasting for more than 1 week, over the last month, in any of seven areas (back, neck, shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee) or in multiple joints | Self report | One month | 65-74 | 16.7 | 23.9 | U | |
75+ | 17.8 | 21.3 | ||||||||||||
NP | Natvig [76] 2004 Norway | 1994, (24–76 yo), all inhabitants in six birth cohorts in Ullensaker municipality, northeast of Oslo. Postal questionnaire | 3325 | 1501 | 1824 | 54 | Standardised Nordic Questionnaire: Any pain or discomfort from the neck during the previous week (illustrated on a body mannequin) | Self report | One week | 64-66 | 32.3 | U | ||
74-76/ 84-86 | 24.1 | |||||||||||||
NP | Yaron [86] 2011 Israel | 2002, 2006, 2008, (20+ yo), stratified sample drawn from a telephone database on different population sectors. Telephone interview + questionnaire | 2520 | 47% | 53% | 59-66 | The Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases core questionnaire (CCQ): “In the past 7 days have you experienced pain in any of the following sites: [ankles]?” | Self report | One week | 61+ | 53.3 | U | ||
NP | Goode [65] 2010 USA | 2006, (21+ yo), stratified random probability sample of North Carolina telephone numbers, USA. Interview + questionnaire (phone). | 2809 | ? | ? | 86 | “Neck discomfort or pain. Neck pain starts in the neck area; it may spread to the shoulder or arm.” Chronic, impairing NP 1) pain and activity limitations nearly every day for the past 3 months or 2) greater than 24 episodes of pain in the previous year, with each episode limiting activity for 1 day or more | Self report | Point | 65+ | 1.2 | U | ||
NP | Guez [67] 2002 Sweden | 1999, (25–74 yo), stratified randomised sample of inhabitants, mainly along the coastal area, northern Sweden (WHO MONICA Study). Questionnaire + examination (medical center) | 6000 | ? | ? | 72 | ”Have you visited a doctor because of a neck or head injury?”, chronic NP defined as continuous neck complaints for more than 6 months | Self report | Point | 65-74 | 18 | 20 | U | |
NP | Picavet [78] 2003 The Netherlands | 1998, (25+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population register (the DMC3-study). Postal questionnaire | 3664 | 45% | 55% | 46 | [Neck] pain during the survey | Self report | Point | 65+ | 17.3 (14.2-20.4) | 25.0 (21.5-28.5) | L | |
Thoracic pain | Miro [75] 2007 Spain | (65+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population census obtained from the Catalan Statistics Institute, Catalonia. Interview + questionnaire (local primary care centre) | 592 | 274 | 318 | 99 | The Chronic Pain Grade: “In the past 3 months have you had pain that has lasted for one day or longer in any part of your body?” | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 15.0 | L | ||
75-84 | 12.9 | |||||||||||||
85+ | 11.6 | |||||||||||||
Thoracic pain | Parsons [77] 2007 UK | 2001-3, (18+ yo), random samples from 16 Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework practices, South East quadrant of the UK. Postal questionnaire | 2501 | 1347 | 1154 | 47 | The Chronic Pain Grade: Any ‘pain which has lasted for 3 months or longer and currently troubles respondents either all of the time or on and off' | Self report | Three months | 65-74 | 2 | U | ||
75-101 | 2 | |||||||||||||
Higher back | Picavet [78] 2003 The Netherlands | 1998, (25+ yo), stratified random sample taken from the population register (the DMC3-study). Postal questionnaire | 3664 | 45% | 55% | 46 | [Higher part of the back] pain during the survey | Self report | Point | 65+ | 2.8 (1.4-4.2) | 11.9 (9.2-14.6) | L | |