Health beliefs and rehabilitation after lumbar disc surgery

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(84)90007-2Get rights and content

Abstract

Thirty per cent of patients fail to rehabilitate after back surgery. Pre-operative physical assessment cannot reliably identify these patients. A questionnaire assesses the health beliefs and extent of rehabilitation in 200 patients who have undergone a laminectomy. Objective medical data and ten subjective scales are analyzed, which correlate very highly with quality of rehabilitation. The questionnaire identifies ‘at risk’ individuals far better than objective physical findings, and it makes specific pathological attitudes clear. These attitudes can be used to direct existing post-operative care resources in an efficient way.

References (14)

  • BH Burns et al.

    Results of surgery in sciatica and low back pain

    Lancet

    (1951)
  • MA Nelson

    Backache

    Practitioner

    (1981)
  • A Hakelius

    Prognosis in sciatica

    Acta Orthop Scand

    (1970)
  • J Turner et al.

    Psychological interventions for chronic pain: a critical review—I & II

    Pain

    (1982)
  • W Mischel

    Personality and Assessment

    (1968)
  • W Fordyce

    Behavioural Methods for Chronic Pain and Illness

    (1976)
  • P Ley

    Communicating with the patient

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (24)

  • Health beliefs and behaviour of cervix cancer patients

    2006, Psychology and Developing Societies
View all citing articles on Scopus

Author to whom correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed.

View full text