Predictors for Pain Severity, Interference, and the Use of Tertiary Providers among Community Dwelling, Southern Adults

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a leading cause of morbidity and health care utilization in the US. Ample evidence suggests sociodemographic variables (i.e., gender, age, income, and race) influence pain. However, a framework informing associations of multiple sociodemographic factors with provider and intervention utilization, specifically in cLBP, has yet to be established. The purpose was to examine whether sociodemographic variables was associated with the type of provider seen (primary care only, tertiary, or none). cLBP patients completed a series of questionnaires including a clinical pain assessment, provider attendance, medication and treatment use, demographics, and the Brief Pain Inventory-Short form. The SPSS version 26.0 statistical package was used for analysis. cLBP patients (n=140), 56% were female, 57% were Non-Hispanic Black (NHB), 42% were Non-Hispanic White (NHW). Of the cLBP participants, 27% did not seek care from a provider, 46% sought primary care only, and 27% sought some form of tertiary care. In a regression-based model, results suggest that age (p = .001) and pain interference (p = .024) increases use of a provider for cLBP, but sociodemographic variables did not predict which type of care used. Use of physical therapy was increased by pain interference (p=.026), having insurance (p=.037), age (p=.034), and being NHW (p=.004). Sociodemographic variables predict the use of a provider in cLBP. Findings from this study expand on the existing literature as it relates to disparities in access to healthcare providers, associations between pain severity and interference, and sociodemographic factors. Future research should seek to understand the influence of sociodemographic factors extends to other types of chronic pain. This work was supported by Examining Racial And SocioEconomic Disparities in cLBP; ERASED; R01MD010441.