Prevalence of fatigue and associated factors in chronic low back pain patients

OBJECTIVES: to determine the prevalence and key factors associated with fatigue in chronic low back pain patients. METHODS: cross-sectional study of 215 chronic low back pain patients from three health care centers and two industrial corporations. The crude prevalence of fatigue and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Associations between fatigue and the independent variables were measured. RESULTS: the prevalence of fatigue among the participants was 26.0% [95% CI: 20.3 - 32.5]. Fatigue was independently associated with depression and self-efficacy. An increase of one unit in the score of depression increased the risk of fatigue by 9%; an increase of one unit in the score of self-efficacy reduced the risk of fatigue by 2%. CONCLUSIONS: fatigue was prevalent in chronic low back pain patients and associated with depression and self-efficacy. Knowing these factors can direct strategies for prevention and control of fatigue in chronic low back pain patients.

Prevalence of fatigue and associated factors in chronic low back pain patients Journal Articles