Nonspecific chronic low back pain conditions and therapeutic practices in Burkina Faso.
Pegdwendé A Kaboré, Orokiatou B Zanga, Bénédicte Schepens
PMID 36262214WHAT IT FOUND
In Burkina Faso, most chronic back pain patients held strong fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity.
Medical practitioners relied heavily on analgesics, while physiotherapists used a mix of passive and active treatments. Few practitioners systematically assessed psychosocial risk factors.
Key findings
01Half of the patients had high fear-avoidance beliefs regarding physical activity, and more than a quarter had high beliefs regarding work.
02Analgesics were prescribed by 97% of medical practitioners, while physiotherapy was frequently prescribed by only 43%.
03Physiotherapists frequently used massage, electrotherapy, and thermotherapy, but only 40% frequently used back school techniques.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was limited to urban public health institutions, so findings may not apply to rural areas or private clinics. The sample size for practitioners was small (30 doctors, 20 physiotherapists). Practitioner data was self-reported, which may introduce bias. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot determine causality between practitioner habits and patient outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these findings apply to all of Africa or high-income countries. This study reflects specific practices in urban Burkina Faso where resources and training opportunities differ from other regions.