DO BACK PAIN MYTHS EXIST? QUETTA'S INTER-DOMAIN MEDICAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON LOW BACK PAIN MISCONCEPTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/7jw2cc10Keywords:
Education, Medical; Low Back Pain, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Physical Therapy Modalities, Students, Medical; Students, Physical Therapy, Treatment OutcomeAbstract
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders worldwide and a leading contributor to disability among young and working-age populations. Healthcare providers’ beliefs and attitudes toward LBP substantially influence patients’ expectations, clinical decision-making, and functional recovery. Persistent misconceptions related to the causes, prognosis, and management of LBP—particularly those concerning imaging, medication, and surgery—continue to be reported among healthcare trainees, potentially undermining evidence-based care.
Objective: To assess baseline knowledge and the prevalence of common myths related to low back pain among final-year MBBS and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students in Pakistan, and to compare inter-domain differences in evidence-based understanding.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among final-year MBBS and DPT students from selected medical institutions. Participants completed a self-administered version of Deyo’s Myths Questionnaire, which evaluates common misconceptions related to the etiology, prognosis, and management of LBP. Demographic data were collected, and responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Inter-domain differences in responses to individual myths were assessed using chi-square tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: A total of 165 students participated, including 90 MBBS and 75 DPT students. The mean age was 23.84 ± 0.94 years, with males comprising 66.7% (n = 110) and females 33.3% (n = 55). Statistically significant differences between domains were observed for several management-related myths. MBBS students demonstrated significantly higher agreement with misconceptions related to surgery, strong medication, and core weakness as primary causes or treatments of LBP (p < 0.01). DPT students showed comparatively better alignment with evidence-based principles, although misconceptions were still present in both groups.
Conclusion: Substantial myths and misconceptions regarding low back pain were identified among final-year MBBS and DPT students, with a higher prevalence among medical students. These findings underscore the need for targeted, evidence-based educational interventions and curriculum reforms to improve guideline-concordant understanding of low back pain before entry into independent clinical practice.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Syed Anayatullah, Noor Ul Aqsa, Nazia Razzaq, Sadia Khan Nasar, Muhammad Bakhsh, Noor Ahmed Khosa (Author)
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