welsh backs an evidenced based initiative to tackle the burden of back pain on wales matt downton...
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WELSH BACKS
‘an evidenced based initiative to tackle the burden of back pain on Wales’
Matt DowntonWorkplace Health SpecialistWelsh Assembly Government
Overview
• Cost / context• Successful campaigns• Development research• 3 pronged approach• Evaluation
Why Welsh Backs?
In Wales:
• 80% will suffer with back pain
• Incapacity benefits £90M
• Health care costs £150M
• Employers’ costs in sickness absence £250M
Similar picture across the UK
Why Welsh Backs?
• Negative beliefs and attitudes towards back pain can influence recovery
• Medical guidelines and advice have changed - need for re-education
• Work can be part of recovery
Key Messages
• 95% of back pain is mechanical/simple
• ‘Don’t take back pain lying down’
• Keeping active with back pain will lead to a quicker recovery
• Don’t rest for prolonged periods
• Try to stay in Work
Successful campaigns
• Successful campaigns with ‘stay active’ message:
– Australian WorkCover campaign– Working Backs Scotland
– Population - based survey of back pain beliefs in Canada
Partnership approach
– WAG, HSE, WCH and NHS Direct– Leading experts– Stakeholder engagement
AIM– To minimise the financial, personal, and psychosocial effects of
back pain on Wales by:– Supporting people to overcome back pain by promoting the
‘stay active’ message and providing information and advice- Encouraging employers to actively engage in
rehabilitation- Providing guidance to health professionals to reduce
the burden of back pain on health services
Developmental Research - Aims
– To investigate;– individuals understanding and beliefs regarding
back pain and the management of it– individuals understanding of the messages
provided by various healthcare professionals in relation to the management of back pain
– to provide baseline data on individuals’ attitudes and response to back pain
Developmental research - Methods
– Quantitative study– questions based on the Scottish Backs survey included in the
Beaufort November 2005 Omnibus survey– survey sample selected with probability proportional to resident
population using quotas set to reflect the demographic profile of Welsh residents.
– 1018 face-to-face interviews conducted with adults 16+ in their homes
– Qualitative study– 12 focus groups with 8 - 10 participants in each group– Factors considered - age, gender, social-economic grouping, back
pain and work experience, language
Impact on Welsh Backs
• Greater emphasis on engaging primary care and employers
• ‘Softening’ the stay active messages• Ownership - own branding• Must engage non sufferers• Health professionals, employers and public • ‘ balance concern, sympathy and empathy with
practical help, advice and information’
Employers
• ‘Better Backs’ - packs• Prevention• Return to work - reasonable adjustments• Champion good practice• Inspection campaign• Workplace Health Connect• Event 21st March
Health Professionals
• Engage GPs in the wider campaign• Desk aid designed to:
- Reinforce stay active and stay in work messages
- Involve GPs in campaign
- Patient resources (leaflet, website etc)
• Further developments
Public Awareness
• Engage with sufferers and non sufferers
• Non suffers - low level of interest, but…..!
• Sufferers - require more detailed information
• Multi media must effectively target both
Research and Evaluation
– On going monitoring via Omnibus– Evaluation of desk aid– Campaign appearance– Uptake of resources
Early findings…………..– If you have back pain, you should try and stay active?
52% - 66%– If you have back pain you should rest until you get
better?
50% - 42%– Most back pain settles quickly and you can get on
with normal activities such as going to work?
37% - 51%• Of those visiting GPs with their back pain 32 % were
told to rest pre campaign and 20% after
Contact• Matt Downton - 02920 826324
• www.welshbacks.comRef• Waddel, G. et al (2006) A population-based survey of back
beliefs in Canada. SPINE Vol.31, Number 18, pp2142-2145• Buchbinder & Jolley (2001) Population based intervention to
change back pain beliefs and disability: 3 part evaluation. BMJ Vol 322: 1516-20