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CompletedNCT00000418Updated Jun 6, 2013

Psychosocial Treatment for Acute Low Back Pain

A Phase 2 interventional study of Psychosocial intervention in Acute Low Back Pain, sponsored by Indiana University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2013-06-06.

Sponsored by Indiana University · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
211
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Acute low back pain (severe pain that comes on suddenly and lasts a relatively short time) is very common in the United States, and accounts for substantial illness, functional limitations, pain, and health care costs. This study looks at whether a program designed to improve self-efficacy (a person's belief in his or her ability to reach a goal, such as managing one's own disease) and social support improves the health status of people with acute low back pain.

Read the detailed description

Acute low back pain (ALBP) is very prevalent in the United States, accounting for substantial morbidity, functional limitations, pain, and health care costs. Psychosocial interventions that target improved symptom control and patient functioning have the potential to improve the outcomes of patients with ALBP. This study evaluates a psychosocial intervention designed to enhance self-efficacy and social support for patients with ALBP.

In this randomized, controlled trial, we will randomize eligible patients with ALBP to receive the intervention or usual care. The intervention program consists of: (1) patient education regarding ALBP; (2) explanations and rationales, in layperson's terms, of diagnostic and treatment options for ALBP; (3) discussions regarding the management of negative affect (i.e., depression, anger, fear, hostility, anxiety); (4) methods to involve social support systems; and (5) strategies to involve the primary care physician to reinforce patients' behaviors and progress. We will follow patients for 12 months and assess outcomes at 3 and 12 months.

Primary outcomes are health-related quality of life (i.e., functional status, role function, back pain symptoms) and patient satisfaction with care. Secondary outcomes include health care use, direct health care costs, self-efficacy, and social support. We will also estimate the cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

We will conduct this investigation among socioeconomically vulnerable patients with ALBP, a group that shoulders a disproportionate burden of disability and morbidity from musculoskeletal conditions and comorbid medical conditions.

02

Conditions studied

  • Acute Low Back Pain

Keywords

  • OA
  • Patient education
  • Acute low back pain (ALBP)
  • Social support systems
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In context

Back Pain

2,373 studies on the registry are indexed under Back Pain; 284 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 211 is above the median of 60 across 1,941 interventional studies indexed under Back Pain.

Browse Back Pain studies →

Lead sponsor

Indiana University is the lead sponsor of 958 studies on the registry; 200 are open to participants now.

Of its 142 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 112 (79%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Acute low back pain

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Chronic back pain (including surgery)
  • Disability claim for back pain
  • Nursing home resident
  • Severe impairment in hearing, vision, or speech
  • Unable to speak English
  • Severe comorbidity
  • Unable to contact by phone
  • Excluded by primary care physician
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Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single
Enrollment
211 participants

Interventions

  • ProcedurePsychosocial intervention
06

Study locations

1 site
  • Indiana University School of Medicine
    Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Damush TM, Weinberger M, Clark DO, Tierney WM, Rao JK, Perkins SM, Verel K. Acute low back pain self-management intervention for urban primary care patients: rationale, design, and predictors of participation. Arthritis Rheum. 2002 Aug;47(4):372-9. doi: 10.1002/art.10382. PubMed 12209482 ↗
  • Damush TM, Weinberger M, Perkins SM, Rao JK, Tierney WM, Qi R, Clark DO. Randomized trial of a self-management program for primary care patients with acute low back pain: short-term effects. Arthritis Rheum. 2003 Apr 15;49(2):179-86. doi: 10.1002/art.10995. PubMed 12687508 ↗
  • Damush, Weinberger, Perkins, Rao, Tierney, Qi, & Clark. The cost-effectiveness of a self-management program for primary care patients with acute low back pain. 2002. In preparation.
  • Damush TM, Weinberger M, Tierney WM, Rao JK, Clark DO, & Perkins SM. A randomized trial of a self-management program for primary care patients with acute low back pain: 12-month outcomes. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, San Francisco, CA. Arthritis & Rheumatism. 2001;44:S206.
  • Damush TM, Weinberger M, Tierney WM, Rao JK, Clark DO, & Perkins SM. A randomized trial of a self-management program for primary care patients with acute low back pain: 4-month outcomes. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, Philadelphia, PA. Arthritis & Rheumatism. 2000;43:S9.
  • Damush TM, Weinberger M, Tierney WM, Rao J, Clark DO, Adams K, Perkins S, & Emsley C. A comparison between older and younger adults with acute low back pain on functional status and self-management. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, San Francisco, CA. The Gerontologist. 1999;39:S571.
  • Damush TM, Weinberger M, Perkins SM, Rao JK, Tierney WM, Qi R, Clark DO. The long-term effects of a self-management program for inner-city primary care patients with acute low back pain. Arch Intern Med. 2003 Nov 24;163(21):2632-8. doi: 10.1001/archinte.163.21.2632. PubMed 14638564 ↗
  • Gameza VA, Bell Lybecker M, Wara P. Laparoscopic Keyhole Versus Sugarbaker Repair in Parastomal Hernia: A Long-Term Case-Controlled Prospective Study of Consecutive Patients. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2020 Jul;30(7):783-789. doi: 10.1089/lap.2020.0074. Epub 2020 Mar 27. PubMed 32216697 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 6, 2013, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00000418
Lead sponsor
Indiana University
Collaborators
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 4, 1999
Start date
Sep 1977
Completion
Mar 2001
Last update
Jun 6, 2013

Study contacts

Morris Weinberger, Ph.D.
principal investigator · Indiana University School of Medicine
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jun 1999. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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