| 1. |
- Bergström, Gunnar, et al.
(författare)
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A comprehensive workplace intervention and its outcome with regard to lifestyle, health and sick leave : the AHA study
- 2008
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Ingår i: Work. - 1051-9815 .- 1875-9270. ; 31:2, s. 167-180
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study is a prospective multicentre cohort study entitled Work and Health in the Processing and Engineering Industries, the AHA Study (AHA is the Swedish abbreviation for the study). Four large workplaces in Sweden participated during the years from 2000 to 2003. The present report has two objectives: (1) to present a comprehensive occupational health intervention programme and (2) to evaluate this programme with a focus on lifestyle (smoking and exercise), health related quality of life (HRQoL) and sick leave. Interventions were provided on an individual and group level, including evidence-based methods for four health/focus areas (individual level) and a group intervention based on a survey-feedback methodology. The analyses in this report were exclusively employed at an organizational level. The proportion of smokers decreased at three companies and the course of the HRQoL was advantageous at two of the companies as compared to a gainfully employed reference group. A significant decrease in sick leave was revealed at one company, whereas a break in an ascending sick-leave trend appeared at a second company as compared to their respective corporate groups. This comprehensive workplace intervention programme appears to have had positive effects on smoking habits, HRQoL and sick leave.
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| 2. |
- Alipour, Akbar, et al.
(författare)
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The transitional pattern of pain and disability, from perceived pain to sick leave : Experience from a longitudinal study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. - : IOS Press. - 1053-8127 .- 1878-6324. ; 26:4, s. 411-419
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To investigate the prospective value of the transitional and dynamic patterns of pain disability over time on sick leave in chronic recurrent back/neck pain cases.Methods: The material used was based on a longitudinal study with three repeated measurements. The graded Chronic Pain Scale was used to assess levels of pain disability. The relationship between the transitional patterns of the pain disability score ( ten defined states of decrease, increase or no change, between two time points) and sick leave was analyzed for 909 chronic/recurrent cases in three different models using logistic regression. Results: Those with high level of pain disability have a more transitional pattern and their pain level changed during the time period studied. When adjusting for age, gender, education and previous sick leave, the final model indicated that the current level of pain disability was a risk factor in taking sick leave. The likelihood of sick leave was highest in the transition of pain into the highest levels of disability, independent of past disability level of pain. Earlier sick leave remained as an important predictor of sick leave.Conclusions: From a clinical and prognostic perspective the probability of sick leave will be different and can be predicted based on previous sick leave but not from former history of pain disability level or its transitional pattern.
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| 3. |
- Axén, Iben, et al.
(författare)
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Analyzing repeated data collected by mobile phones and frequent text messages : An example of Low back pain measured weekly for 18 weeks
- 2012
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Ingår i: BMC Medical Research Methodology. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2288. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Repeated data collection is desirable when monitoring fluctuating conditions. Mobile phones can be used to gather such data from large groups of respondents by sending and receiving frequently repeated short questions and answers as text messages.The analysis of repeated data involves some challenges. Vital issues to consider are the within-subject correlation, the between measurement occasion correlation and the presence of missing values.The overall aim of this commentary is to describe different methods of analyzing repeated data. It is meant to give an overview for the clinical researcher in order for complex outcome measures to be interpreted in a clinically meaningful way.Methods: A model data set was formed using data from two clinical studies, where patients with low back pain were followed with weekly text messages for 18 weeks. Different research questions and analytic approaches were illustrated and discussed, as well as the handling of missing data. In the applications the weekly outcome “number of days with pain” was analyzed in relation to the patients’ “previous duration of pain” (categorized as more or less than 30 days in the previous year).Research questions with appropriate analytical methods1: How many days with pain do patients experience? This question was answered with data summaries.2: What is the proportion of participants “recovered” at a specific time point? This question was answered using logistic regression analysis.3: What is the time to recovery? This question was answered using survival analysis, illustrated in Kaplan-Meier curves, Proportional Hazard regression analyses and spline regression analyses.4: How is the repeatedly measured data associated with baseline (predictor) variables? This question was answered using generalized Estimating Equations, Poisson regression and Mixed linear models analyses.5: Are there subgroups of patients with similar courses of pain within the studied population?A visual approach and hierarchical cluster analyses revealed different subgroups using subsets of the model data.Conclusions: We have illustrated several ways of analysing repeated measures with both traditional analytic approaches using standard statistical packages, as well as recently developed statistical methods that will utilize all the vital features inherent in the data.
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| 4. |
- Axén, Iben, et al.
(författare)
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Clustering patients on the basis of their individual course of low back pain over a six month period
- 2011
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Ingår i: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2474. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Several researchers have searched for subgroups in the heterogeneous population of patients with non-specific low back pain (LBP). To date, subgroups have been identified based on psychological profiles and the variation of pain.Methods: This multicentre prospective observational study explored the 6- month clinical course with measurements of bothersomeness that were collected from weekly text messages that were sent by 176 patients with LBP. A hierarchical cluster analysis, Ward's method, was used to cluster patients according to the development of their pain.Results: Four clusters with distinctly different clinical courses were described and further validated against clinical baseline variables and outcomes. Cluster 1, a "stable" cluster, where the course was relatively unchanged over time, contained young patients with good self- rated health. Cluster 2, a group of "fast improvers" who were very bothered initially but rapidly improved, consisted of patients who rated their health as relatively poor but experienced the fewest number of days with bothersome pain of all the clusters. Cluster 3 was the "typical patient" group, with medium bothersomeness at baseline and an average improvement over the first 4-5 weeks. Finally, cluster 4 contained the "slow improvers", a group of patients who improved over 12 weeks. This group contained older individuals who had more LBP the previous year and who also experienced most days with bothersome pain of all the clusters.Conclusions: It is possible to define clinically meaningful clusters of patients based on their individual course of LBP over time. Future research should aim to reproduce these clusters in different populations, add further clinical variables to distinguish the clusters and test different treatment strategies for them.
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| 5. |
- Axén, Iben, et al.
(författare)
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The use of weekly text messaging over 6 months was a feasible method for monitoring the clinical course of low back pain in patients seeking chiropractic care
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. - : Elsevier. - 0895-4356 .- 1878-5921. ; 65:4, s. 454-461
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: This study critically evaluates a new method of collecting frequent data using mobile phones and text messages. Fluctuating conditions such as low back pain (LBP) need frequent monitoring to describe the clinical course in detail and to account for individual and subgroup variations.Study Design and Setting: In this multicentre prospective observational study, 262 subjects with nonspecific LBP were followed with weekly text messages for 6 months, with the question “How many days this previous week has your low back pain been bothersome?” The text replies were instantly recorded in a data file to be merged with baseline and follow up data (age, gender, pain intensity, duration, and self- rated health) collected through ordinary questionnaires. The response rate, user-friendliness, and compliance of this method were evaluated.Results: The mean response rate for the text messages throughout the study was 82.5% and was unaffected by season. The method was found to be user friendly. Dropout was not affected by age and gender, but compliance was possibly somewhat affected by outcome.Conclusion: Weekly text messages are a useful method of data collection to examine the clinical course of LBP in the primary care sector.
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| 6. |
- Berglund, Anita, et al.
(författare)
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The influence of prognostic factors on neck pain intensity, disability, anxiety and depression over a 2-year period in subjects with acute whiplash injury
- 2006
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Ingår i: Pain. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0304-3959 .- 1872-6623. ; 125:3, s. 244-256
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The influence of potential prognostic factors (occupant- and crash-related factors, initial neck pain intensity and headache, whiplash injury severity, helplessness, locus of control, socioeconomic status) on neck pain intensity (VAS), disability (DRI), anxiety and depression (HADS) was estimated in a cohort of 3704 subjects with whiplash injury following a motor vehicle crash. Questionnaires were administered (baseline, 1-, 6-, 12-, 24-month follow-ups). VAS was trichotomized; "low" (0-30), "moderate" (31-54), "severe" (55-100). A cumulative logit model with a proportional odds assumption was applied. Results regarding depression differed somewhat from the other outcomes. Overall, initial neck pain intensity was an important prognostic factor, but acted also as an evident effect modifier. Females had slightly increased odds for all outcomes but depression, for which no gender differences were shown. Injury severity was associated with all outcomes, but was most pronounced regarding disability among those who perceived numbness/pain in arms/hands and also had severe initial neck pain (proportional odds ratio [OR] 6.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5-17.0). Initial headache influenced all outcomes. Income was not related to any of the outcomes, whereas a lower level of education was associated with all outcomes but depression. Locus of control was not a factor of importance. In contrast, helplessness was related to all outcomes, but was most pronounced regarding neck pain intensity and depression for subjects with severe initial neck pain (OR 4.8; 95% CI 2.9-7.8; OR 6.6; 95% CI 2.6-17.0). Associations seem to be established early, and then to be relatively constant over time.
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| 7. |
- Bergström, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Using a psychosocial subgroup assignment to predict sickness absence in a working population with neck and back pain
- 2011
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Ingår i: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2474. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The overall objective was to evaluate the predictive validity of a subgroup classification based on the Swedish version of the MPI, the MPI-S, among gainfully employed workers with neck pain (NP) and/or low back pain (LBP) during a follow-up period of 18 and 36 months.Methods: This is a prospective cohort study that is part of a larger longitudinal multi-centre study entitled Work and Health in the Process and Engineering Industries (AHA). The attempt was to classify individuals at risk for developing chronic disabling NP and LBP. This is the first study using the MPI-questionnaire in a working population with NP and LBP.Results: Dysfunctional individuals (DYS) demonstrated more statistically significant sickness absence compared to adaptive copers (AC) after 36 months. DYS also had a threefold increase in the risk ratio of long-term sickness absence at 18 months. Interpersonally distressed (ID) subgroup showed overall more sickness absence compared to the AC subgroup at the 36-month follow-up and had a twofold increase in the risk ratio of long-term sickness absence at 18 months. There was a significant difference in bodily pain, mental and physical health for ID and DYS subgroups compared to the AC group at both follow-ups.Conclusions: The present study shows that this multidimensional approach to the classification of individuals based on psychological and psychosocial characteristics can distinguish different groups in gainfully employed working population with NP/LBP. The results in this study confirm the predictive validity of the MPI-S subgroup classification system.
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| 8. |
- Bergström, Gunnar, et al.
(författare)
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A 7-year follow-up of multidisciplinary rehabilitation among chronic neck and back pain patients : Is sick leave outcome dependent on psychologically derived patient groups?
- 2010
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Ingår i: European Journal of Pain. - : Elsevier. - 1090-3801 .- 1532-2149. ; 14:4, s. 426-433
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A valid method for classifying chronic pain patients into more homogenous groups could be useful for treatment planning, that is, which treatment is effective for which patient, and as a marker when evaluating treatment outcome. One instrument that has been used to derive subgroups of patients is the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate a classification method based on the Swedish version of the MPI, the MPI-S, to predict sick leave among chronic neck and back pain patients for a period of 7 years after vocational rehabilitation. As hypothesized, dysfunctional patients (DYS), according to the MPI-S, showed a higher amount of sickness absence and disability pension expressed in days than adaptive copers (AC) during the 7-years follow-up period, even when adjusting for sickness absence prior to rehabilitation (355.8days, 95% confidence interval, 71.7; 639.9). Forty percent of DYS patients and 26.7% of AC patients received disability pension during the follow-up period. However, this difference was not statistically significant. Further analyses showed that the difference between patient groups was most pronounced among patients with more than 60days of sickness absence prior to rehabilitation. Cost-effectiveness calculations indicated that the DYS patients showed an increase in production loss compared to AC patients. The present study yields support for the prognostic value of this subgroup classification method concerning long-term outcome on sick leave following this type of vocational rehabilitation.
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| 9. |
- Bergström, Gunnar, Professor, et al.
(författare)
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Long-term, non-specific spinal pain: reliable and valid subgroups of patients
- 2001
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Ingår i: Behaviour Research and Therapy. - : Elsevier. - 0005-7967 .- 1873-622X. ; 39:1, s. 75-87
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to identify reliable and valid subgroups of spinal pain patients, using data from the Swedish version of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI-S). A second aim was to test the generalisability of the three patient profiles described in earlier studies on the MPI (”adaptive coper”, ”dysfunctional” and ”interpersonally distressed” patients). The study base consisted of two samples of individuals suffering from long-term, non-specific spinal pain and the results were validated across these samples. Cluster analysis was used to detect distinct groups of patients and the validity of these subgroups was evaluated on variables not used to generate the cluster solution. One subgroup was characterised by lower pain severity, lower interference with everyday activities, lower affective distress and higher life control than the other two subgroups. This patient profile was similar to the MPI adaptive coper patients. A second subgroup resembled the dysfunctional patient profile, thus displaying a worse adjustment to chronic pain than the AC patients. The third patient group reported significantly lower levels of social support from “significant others” than the other subgroups. This patient profile was similar to that of the interpersonally distressed patient group. Taken together, the results support the reliability, validity and generalisability of three subgroups of chronic pain patients derived from the MPI-S.
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| 10. |
- Bergström, Gunnar, Professor, et al.
(författare)
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The impact of psychologically different patient groups on outcome after a vocational rehabilitation program for long-term spinal pain patients
- 2001
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Ingår i: Pain. - : LWW. - 0304-3959 .- 1872-6623. ; 93:3, s. 229-237
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A better knowledge of differential treatment outcomes for subgroups of chronic spinal pain patients may, for instance, help clinicians in treatment planning or pain researchers in treatment outcome research. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the predictive validity of a subgroup classification based on the Swedish version of the (West Haven Yale) Multidimensional Pain Inventory, the MPI-S. Patients referred to a vocational rehabilitation program were classified into one of three groups, labeled ‘adaptive copers’, ‘dysfunctional’ patients, and ‘interpersonally distressed’ patients, and followed over an 18-month follow-up period. The outcome variables were absence from work (defined as sick listing plus early retirement), general health status, and utilization of health care resources. To our knowledge, the predictive validity of the MPI subgroups has not been evaluated regarding sick listing and early retirement after rehabilitation. As hypothesized, the results showed that the ‘dysfunctional’ patient group had significantly more registered absences from work and reported higher utilization of health care, over the follow-up period compared to the ‘adaptive copers’. Furthermore, as hypothesized, the ‘interpersonally distressed’ and ‘dysfunctional’ patient groups report a poorer general health status than the ‘adaptive copers’ over the whole follow-up period. However, contrary to our hypothesis, the proportion of improved patients did not differ significantly between the subgroups. Altogether, the predictive validity of the MPI-S subgroup classification was mainly confirmed. The clinical implications of this study suggest that the matching of treatment to patient needs may enhance treatment outcome, reduce pain and suffering among chronic spinal pain patients and facilitate a better health economic allocation of treatment resources.
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