NCT03127826

Validation of the STarT Back Screening Tool in the Military

Validation of the STarT Back Screening Tool in the Primary Care Management of Low Back Pain in the Military Health System: A Randomized Trial of Risk-stratified vs. Usual Care

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 290 (actual)
• Sponsor: Brooke Army Medical Center · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This is a trial to validate the use of the STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST) in the Military Health System for patients with low back pain presenting to primary care.

Detailed description

Subjects with low back pain presenting to primary care will be enrolled in a study that aims to evaluate the utility of the SBST for providing risk-stratified care. The concept of this approach revolves around matching treatment to patients based on their risk for developing chronic disability from back pain. Those at low risk receive less treatment, and those at high risk need more specialized treatment, that includes psychosocially-focused and cognitive considerations. This approach will be compared to usual care, where general practitioners carry out the course of action they think best for each patient, without any other guidance. Patients will be followed for 1 year.

Conditions

• Low Back Pain
• Lumbago
• Radiculopathy
• Intervertebral Disc Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Risk Stratified Care	Physical therapists providing care will all have attended live training in PIPT principles and be involved in monthly continuing education on these principles. The use of specific principles is guided by the patient's risk stratification (as determined by the STarT Back Tool). Medium Risk: \- Reassurance will be provided to address specific concerns related to their LBP and implications on work High Risk: \- Physical therapy will be psychologically augmented with the assessment of biopsychosocial risk factors and the adoption of cognitive behavioral principles that explore patient concerns and address unhelpful beliefs and behaviors, including tailored education (e.g., stress management and pain neuroscience), graded exercise, \& graded exposure
PROCEDURE	Usual Care	Usual care at the general practitioner's discretion

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-04-07
• Primary completion: 2021-02-26
• Completion: 2021-07-01
• First posted: 2017-04-25
• Last updated: 2022-06-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States