Are Pain and Depression Levels Related to the Quality of Life in Elderly People with Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain?

Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi, vol.45, no.3, pp.334-341, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between pain severity and depression level and quality of life in elderly patients

with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) and determine the effect of age group on the quality of life, pain severity and

depression symptom levels of patients. Evaluation parameters were obtained using scales specific to geriatric patients. Pain severity,

depression, and quality of life were evaluated using the Geriatric Pain Measure (GPM), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS),

and World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Older Adults Module (WHOQOL-OLD), respectively. The study

included a total of 231 patients with CNLBP (age ≥65 years), of whom 62.3% (n=144) were female and 37.7% were male (n=87).

There was a moderate correlation between the patients’ GDS and GPM scores (r=0.53; p<0.05). GDS also had a moderate correlation

with the ‘past-present-and-future activities’ (r=-0.52) and ‘social participation’ (r=-0.48) subdomains of WHOQOL-OLD

(p<0.05). According to age groups, the only statistically significant difference was observed in ‘sensory abilities’ (p<0.05). Quality

of life is negatively affected by the level of depression and pain intensity in elderly individuals with CNLBP. Evaluation of pain severity

and depressive symptom levels in elderly patients with CNLBP may contribute to the establishment of an elderly population

with improved quality of life and treatment approach. There is a need for further studies to reveal the reasons for poorer quality of

life and increased depression and pain.

Keywords: Low back pain, Age groups, Quality of Life, Elderly, Depression