Characteristics and Medical Resource Utilization of Postoperative Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The objective of this study is to assess and analyze the characteristics and usage of conventional and Korean medical services in postoperative patients. This study therefore investigates the proportion of patients with a history of surgery out of patients visiting a spine-specialty Korean medicine hospital, and the prognosis and preference for conventional and Korean medicine treatment by previous treatment history in postoperative patients.

Detailed Description
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A considerable number of patients suffer prolonged chronic pain that does not retract or diminish after surgery, and are thus unable to achieve the desired results in receiving surgical treatment. Postoperative pain is gradually being perceived as a social issue as opposed to a personal health condition. Meanwhile, although efforts to address chronic pain with integrative medicine are continued in answer to the lack of success of pain management through surgery, there is still a lack of supporting evidence. The objective of this survey study is to assess the characteristics, usage of conventional and Korean medical services, and prognosis by period before and after surgery in postoperative patients visiting a Korean medicine hospital, and analyze the associations between the preference for conventional and Korean medicine treatment. This study therefore investigates the usage of conventional and Korean medical services in postoperative patients, and is expected to provide information that will potentially aid patient decision making.

Official Title
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Characteristics and Medical Resource Utilization of Postoperative Patients: A Cross-sectional Survey of Outpatients

Conditions
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Pain, Postoperative

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients with chief complaint(s) of at least one or more of the following: low back pain (or radiating leg pain), neck pain (or radiating arm pain), knee pain, or shoulder pain Patients with a history of musculoskeletal surgery related to the chief complaint(s) Patients capable of effective communication with the researcher(s) and understanding the survey items Patients who have given written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Patients without a history of musculoskeletal surgery associated with the low back, neck, shoulder, or knee region(s) Patients whose current pain is mainly attributed to traffic accident injury Patients incapable of answering the researcher interviews and surveys Patients with other reasons rendering study participation inappropriate as judged by the researcher(s)
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Numeric rating scale (NRS) of pain | 11-point pain scale | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Five level version of EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) | Health-related quality of life questionnaire consisting of 5 descriptive items and EQ Visual Analogue Scales (EQ-VASs) | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Functional disability questionnaire (for low back pain patients as indicated by postoperative condition) | Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Functional disability questionnaire (for neck pain patients as indicated by postoperative condition) | Neck Disability Index (NDI) | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Functional disability questionnaire (for knee pain patients as indicated by postoperative condition) | Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Functional disability questionnaire (for shoulder pain patients as indicated by postoperative condition) | Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: General Health (WPAI-GH) | Questionnaire assessing the effect of health problems on the ability to work and to perform regular activities | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) | The Korean version of the BDI-II has been validated and consists of 21 multiple choice items for diagnosis of depression. | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Medical service use | Type(s) of medical service use before and after surgery post-onset | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Medical costs | Medical costs from medical service use before and after surgery post-onset | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 
| Satisfaction with and preference for conventional and Korean medicine | Satisfaction with and preference for conventional and Korean medicine as measured using a 9-point Likert scale | Within 7 days after 1st visit | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Postoperative pain, Failed back surgery syndrome, Korean medicine