"It is estimated that as many as 80 to 90 percent of adults experience at least one episode of acute low back pain during their lives, and 50 percent report symptoms during any given year," said Teresa Damush, assistant scientist in the Department of General Internal Medicine at the IU School of Medicine.

Damush is co-principal investigator on a low back pain self-management project. Self management means that patients learn the new skills necessary to take on an active role in caring for their own chronic conditions and assume the responsibility of using those skills.

Study participants will attend three sessions, the contents of which include education to provide an optimistic view of acute episode resolution and knowledge that low back pain may recur. Diagnostic and treatment options, reviewed in layman’s terms, will be covered, as will management strategies for the possible negative effects of ALBP–depression, anger, fear, hostility and anxiety. Participants will learn the value of an involved social support network, cognitive pain management strategies, and behavioral modification to increase physical activity.

"Patients set goals of their choice related to session contents, make behavioral contracts and attempt to fulfill the contract during the following week," said Damush. "They report problems during the next session, receive feedback and learn how to problem solve."

After three sessions, participants are encouraged to continue on their own. Patient assessment, after the initial one for baseline data, will be conducted at four and 12 months.

Damush has written a proposal that would develop a similar program for older women with osteoporosis and was recently funded for the project by the Arthritis Foundation.

"Strategies may differ by disease, but the skills needed to change patient behaviors are the same," said Damush. "For patients with osteoporosis, recommended treatment includes bone active drugs, weight-bearing exercise, nutrition modification and smoking cessation, but treatment adherence to these regimens has been poor. The self-management model not only provides patient information, it teaches patients how to incorporate this information into their lifestyles."