What influences graduate medical students’ beliefs of lower back pain? A mixed methods cross sectional study

Background Low back pain (LBP) is a common condition with substantial associated disability and costs, best understood using a biopsychosocial approach. Research demonstrates that beliefs about LBP are important, with biomedical beliefs influencing practitioner's management and patient recovery...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC medical education 2022-08, Vol.22 (1), p.1-633, Article 633
Main Authors: Inman, John G. K, Ellard, David R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy
Back pain
Beliefs
Beliefs, opinions and attitudes
Biomedicine
Cross-sectional studies
Data Analysis
Education
Emotional Response
Graduate Students
Guidelines
Health aspects
Health beliefs
Healthcare students
Informed Consent
Investigations
Learning Modules
Likert scale
Low back pain
Medical education
Medical profession
Medical students
Mixed methods research
Pain
Patients
Physical therapy
Psychological Patterns
Public opinion
Questionnaires
Scientific Research
Self Management
Self Supporting Students
Software
Translation
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Summary:Background Low back pain (LBP) is a common condition with substantial associated disability and costs, best understood using a biopsychosocial approach. Research demonstrates that beliefs about LBP are important, with biomedical beliefs influencing practitioner's management and patient recovery. Beliefs about LBP can be inconsistent amongst healthcare and medical students. The aim of this study was to investigate graduate medical student's beliefs of LBP and what influences them. Method A cross sectional mixed methods study of Phase 1 (first year) and Phase 3 (third and fourth year) current graduate medical students at the University of Warwick (MBChB) was conducted. Participants were recruited via voluntary response sampling. A survey investigated LBP beliefs, utilising the Back Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) and Health Care Providers' Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS). Qualitative data was collected on what influences beliefs about the causes and management of LBP, which was analysed descriptively using thematic analysis. Results Fifty-seven students completed the questionnaire (61% female), with a mean age of 27.2 years. Eighty two percent of participants reported a history of LBP. Median BBQ scores were 31.5 for phase 1 and 31 for phase 3, with median HC-PAIRS scores of 57 and 60 for phase 1 and phase 3 students respectively. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative data: Sources of influence, influence of personal experience and influence of medical education. Participants discussed single or multiple sources influencing their beliefs about the causes and management of LBP. Another main theme was the influence of experiencing LBP personally or through discussions with family, friends and patients. The final main theme described the influence of medical education, including lectures, seminars and clinical placements. Conclusions The HC-PAIRS and BBQ scores suggest graduate medical students in this sample tended to have positive beliefs about the outcome of LBP and functional expectations of chronic LBP patients, consistent with other healthcare students. The findings from qualitative data suggest how medical students form beliefs about the causes and management of LBP is complex. Keywords: Back pain, Medical students, Healthcare students, Education, Health beliefs
ISSN:1472-6920
1472-6920
DOI:10.1186/s12909-022-03692-1