Relationship between pain intensity and disability in chronic low back pain patients

Abstract

Objective

This study aims to analyze the relationship between pain intensity and disability in chronic low back pain patients.

Method

This was a descriptive correlation study conducted on 33 respondents recruited from low back pain outpatient department Haji Adam Malik Hospital. The data were collected using PNRS and ODI, meanwhile, the Spearman test was used to examine the relationship between pain intensity and disability.

Results

Majority of the respondents (78.79%) reported pain at a severe level (M = 7.79; SD = 1.88), meanwhile, over a quarter (30.30%) had severe disability followed by other that were crippled (24.24%) (M = 57.03; SD = 25.78). In addition, there was a significant positive relationship between pain intensity and disability (r = 0.944, p = 0.000).

Conclusion

These results imply that the greater the pain intensity, the higher the disability and the lower the ability to perform daily activities.