Sexual Disability in Low Back Pain and Physiotherapy

NCT05636423 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Sex and LBP
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 502
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

A treatment centered on the person uses an approach capable of considering all the components of disability, from a physical, psychological and social point of views. Some studies have shown that sexual function is disturbed in subjects with low back pain (LBP) and sexual disability can contribute to a deterioration in quality of life. It has also been shown that, in sexually active patients complaining of LBP, sexuality is a significant mediator of the relationship between pain intensity and depressive symptoms. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) includes a specific item to investigate sexual function (item #8). A previous study of ours confirmed the relationship between sexual disability detected by the ODI and the presence of depression, avoidance of activities and rumination (Ferrari et al. 2019 - Digital Object Identifier: 10.1589/jpts.31.360). The discussion on sexual disability among patients and healthcare professionals is very limited, although patients require more involvement from clinicians, especially physiotherapists, as evidenced by our previous qualitative study (Ferrari et al. 2020 - Digital Object Identifier: 10.1080/09638288.2020 .1817161). Although studies on this topic have highlighted the importance of this disability in the life of subjects complaining of LBP, little has been investigated on clinical behaviors of the physiotherapists in this area.

Conditions

Low Back Pain; Sex Disorder

Keywords

sexual disability; physical therapy; low back pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Clinical behaviors of Italian physiotherapists regarding sexual disability in patients with low back pain

  Level of attention and competence of Italian physiotherapists with respect to sexual disability related to low back pain, critical issues, opportunities and therapeutic strategies adopted in the management of sexual disability related to LBP.

  From date of first completion of the survey until the date of last completion of the survey.

Study Arms (1)

Italian physiotherapists

The survey will take place through the administration of a questionnaire accessible via the website of the Italian Physiotherapy Association (AIFI), the Scientific Association of reference for the physiotherapists, registered since 2020 in the list of Scientific Societies recognized by the Italian Health Ministry.

Other: Survey

Interventions

Survey OTHER

Online survey via a questionnaire composed of 28 questions.

Italian physiotherapists

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Physiotherapists registered with AIFI who deliver physiotherapy treatments on subjects with low back pain

You may qualify if:

• Being a physiotherapist registered with AIFI
• Carrying out physiotherapy treatments on subjects with low back pain
• Agreement to voluntarily sign informed consent to participate in the study
• Agreement to voluntarily sign consent to data processing

You may not qualify if:

• Inability to understand written Italian
• Being a retired physiotherapist

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Bologna: lead

Study Sites (1)

Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi

Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, 40138, Italy

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Ferrari S, Vanti C, Giagio S, Anesi M, Youssef S, Bortolami A, Cedraschi C, Pillastrini P. Low back pain and sexual disability from the patient's perspective: a qualitative study. Disabil Rehabil. 2022 May;44(10):2011-2019. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1817161. Epub 2020 Sep 15.

  PMID: 32931339 BACKGROUND

• Ferrari S, Vanti C, Frigau L, Guccione AA, Mola F, Ruggeri M, Pillastrini P, Monticone M. Sexual disability in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain-a multicenter retrospective analysis. J Phys Ther Sci. 2019 Apr;31(4):360-365. doi: 10.1589/jpts.31.360. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

  PMID: 31037010 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Low Back Pain; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological

Interventions

Surveys and Questionnaires

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Back Pain; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Genital Diseases; Urogenital Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• Paolo Pillastrini, PT, MSc

  University of Bologna

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Full Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 16, 2022
• First Posted: December 5, 2022
• Study Start: February 2, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 24, 2023
• Study Completion: July 10, 2023
• Last Updated: July 12, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IT (1)