Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03632122

Subgroups of Older Adults With Back Pain and Multiple Chronic Conditions

The overall goal of this study is to use the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data to gain an understanding of how multiple chronic conditions impact the health outcomes of older adults with back pain.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Low Back Pain Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Back Pain Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Joint Diseases Mental Disorders Musculoskeletal Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Osteoarthritis Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Rheumatic Diseases Signs and Symptoms

Age range

65 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Washington

Seattle, Washington, 98105, United States

About this study

This study seeks to gain knowledge regarding how multiple chronic conditions affect the health and function of older adults with back pain. The investigators will perform a retrospective cohort study using secondary analysis of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data. NHATS collected longitudinal data on Medicare beneficiaries over 65 for six years, from 2011-2017. This set of data is comprehensive and includes self-reported survey data as well as physical performance data, both of which this study will utilize.

The specific aims include to 1) Estimate the longitudinal associations of the number of chronic conditions, using a standard classification scheme, with long-term physical performance, function, and recurrent falls, 2) Identify specific combinations of chronic conditions that are most strongly associated with long-term physical performance, function, and recurrent falls, 3) Determine the association of the number and type of chronic conditions with rehabilitation service use. The investigator will test a corresponding hypothesis for each aim: 1) Medicare beneficiaries reporting back pain with a greater number of chronic conditions will have worse physical performance, lower functional status, and be more likely to experience recurrent falls over 6 years, 2) Medicare beneficiaries reporting back pain with common and potentially modifiable conditions of anxiety, depression, and arthritis (individually and combined as dyads or a triad) will have worse physical performance, lower functional capacity, and be more likely to experience recurrent falls over 6 years, 3) Medicare beneficiaries with back pain and multiple chronic conditions will report lower use of rehabilitation services in the past one year compared to those with back pain alone or one additional chronic condition.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • This study will include community-dwelling participants in the NHATS study who indicated that in the last month they had been bothered by pain in the last month and indicated that the site of pain was the lower back.

Exclusion criteria

  • This study will exclude participants who are non-ambulatory (requires wheelchair or scooter).

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)

    Time frame: 6 years

    NHATS measures physical performance using an in-person physical performance test. The Short Physical Performance Battery, which includes walking 3 meters, balancing activities, and chair stands. Participants are scored from 0 (worst) to 12 (best).

  2. Rehabilitation Use

    Time frame: 1 year

    Participants asked if they had used rehabilitation services over the last year. This is a dichotomous variable of "use" or "no use". If participants answer that they have used rehabilitation services, they are asked the purpose/conditions for which they received care, the body region for which they received care, setting, duration of services in months and weeks, improvement of treatment and whether they met their treatment goals. These are reported as categorical variables.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Walking Capacity

    Time frame: 6 years

    NHATS used survey questions asking about pairs of less or more challenging tasks. This includes walking. The pair of questions corresponding to walking capacity ask participants about their ability to walk 3 and 6 blocks by themselves. Based on their answers participants were put into one of the following categories: unable to do less challenging task able to do less challenging task, able to do less challenging but not more challenging task, able to do the more challenging task. Unable to do less challenging task the least functional capacity and able to do the most challenging task being the highest functional capacity. Higher functional capacity is the better outcome.

  2. Stair Climbing Capacity

    Time frame: 6 years

    NHATS used survey questions asking about pairs of less or more challenging tasks. This includes stair climbing. The pair of questions for stairs asks about the ability to go up 10 and 20 stairs. Based on their answers participants were put into one of the following categories: unable to do less challenging task able to do less challenging task, able to do less challenging but not more challenging task, able to do the more challenging task. Unable to do less challenging task the least functional capacity and able to do the most challenging task being the highest functional capacity. Higher functional capacity is the better outcome.

  3. Falls

    Time frame: 6 years

    The number of "falls" defined as "any fall, slip, or trip in which you lose your balance and land on the floor or ground at a lower level".

  4. Gait Speed

    Time frame: 6 years

    Participants are timed as they finish a three meter walking course.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Washington

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Identifying Subgroups of Older Adults With Back Pain and Multiple Chronic Conditions to Inform Pathways of Care and Improve Population Health

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Aug 15, 2018
Registry last updated
Aug 19, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.