Clinical trial NCT06785883: Screening Anxiety and Depression Among Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Within Physiotherapy Practices
Official title: Screening Anxiety and Depression Among Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Within Physiotherapy Practices
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Osteoarthitis
Fibromyalgia
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA
Low Back Pain
Neck Pain
Lead sponsor: KU Leuven
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-01-21
Enrollment: 750
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 100
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: OTHER
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Chronic pain

Brief summary: This study will investigate whether physiotherapists can accurately identify symptoms of anxiety and of depression in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (primary aim). The prevalence of co-morbid anxiety and depression in patients with chronic neck and / or shoulder pain, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia within physiotherapy practices will be established (secondary aim).

Detailed description: The International Classification of Diseases describes chronic musculoskeletal pain as pain that arises as part of a disease process directly affecting bones, joints, muscle or related soft tissue lasting longer than 3 months. The global burden of chronic musculoskeletal pain is substantial, with a recent systematic review indicating a 26% prevalence in the general adult population and 39% in those older than 65 year. Chronic musculoskeletal pain also contributes to almost 20% of the global years-lived with disability, and it is one of the major causes of work loss and early retirement. Population-based research has shown that chronic pain conditions are risk factors for developing depression and anxiety. Co-morbid depression and anxiety are strongly associated with more severe pain, greater disability, and poorer health related quality of life. Both are also important reasons for poor treatment adherence within physiotherapy practices. When managing patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, physiotherapists need to be able to identify patients who have an increased likelihood of depression and anxiety and to facilitate appropriate management by either facilitating patients in coping with anxiety and depression via for example physical activity or relaxation techniques and/or referring them to a medical practitioner for definitive diagnosis and intervention. Although there is some recognition of screening for depression in physiotherapy practices, the role physiotherapists can have in detecting anxiety and depression is largely ignored. The primary aim of this project will be to investigate whether physiotherapists can accurately identify symptoms of anxiety and of depression in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The focus will in particular be on patients with chronic neck and / or shoulder pain, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia. The accuracy of screening via a numeric rating scale will be compared with the accuracy of screening via 2 brief items. A secondary aim is to describe the prevalence of co-morbid anxiety and depression in patients with chronic neck and / or shoulder pain, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia within physiotherapy practices.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion criteria:

Physiotherapists:

- Physiotherapists of AXXON, the Belgian Professional Physiotherapy Organization.

Patients

- Self-reported chronic neck and / or shoulder pain, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia.

Exclusion criteria:

* Not meeting inclusion criteria.
* No additional exclusion criteria.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7
timeFrame: 2 weeks
measure: Patient Health Questionnaire -9
timeFrame: 2 weeks
measure: Numeric Rating Scale
timeFrame: 2 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Leuven
country: Belgium
facility: Private physiotherapy practices
Study officials:
References: