Effectiveness of Multidisciplinary Group-Based Intervention versus Individual Physiotherapy for Improving Chronic Low Back Pain in Nursing Staff: A Clinical Trial with 3- and 6-Month Follow-Up Visits from Tehran, Iran

STUDY DESIGN: Clinical trial. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary group-based intervention on improving pain and disability among Iranian nurses with chronic low back pain in Tehran, Iran. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Although low back pain (LBP) is one of the most important health problems, the challenge remains on how to find an effective intervention to reduce pain and related disabilities. METHODS: Overall, 136 eligible nurses with chronic mechanical LBP were classified into two groups. The intervention group (n=66 participants) participated in a physiotherapy educational program (for 120 minutes) plus a health educational program based on predictive constructs of the social cognitive theory (for 120 minutes). These interventions were delivered by a physiotherapist and a health education specialist. The control group (n=70 participants) participated in a physiotherapy educational program (for 120 minutes). Disability rate, pain severity, and back pain prevention behavior were measured initially and at 3- and 6-month follow-up visits using the visual analogue scale, Roland-Morris Disability, and Nursing Low Back Pain Preventive Behaviors Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS ver. 16. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in the main outcome measures immediately after the educational program and at 3- and 6-month follow-up visits. Preventive behaviors of participants in the intervention group were improved at 3- and 6- month follow-up visits (p<0.001). The mean scores of predictive constructs regarding LBP preventive behaviors in the intervention group were improved after 3 and 6 months (p<0.001). Finally, in the intervention group, pain severity and disability were decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that a multidisciplinary educational program intervention can be an effective approach for reducing LBP and related disabilities among nurses.