The Relationship of Pain Intensity, Pain Catastrophizing, and Disability with Physical and Mental Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, disability and the physical and mental dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods: The study group consisted of 152 patients with CLBP. The following questionnaires were administered: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the SF-36 Health Survey (36-Item Short Form Health Survey), the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship of pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and disability with the physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL.

Results: Both regression models proved to be statistically significant. For the physical component of HRQoL, the multiple regression model was statistically significant (F(3,109) = 27.335; p < 0.001), explaining 42.7% of the variance, while for the mental component of HRQoL, the model was also statistically significant (F(3,109) = 13.611; p < 0.001) and explained 27.3% of the variance.

Conclusion: Pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and disability were identified as independent predictors of the physical component of HRQoL, whereas disability and catastrophizing emerged as the only significant predictors for the mental component. The results of this study align with the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain, which emphasizes the necessity of identifying multiple factors to ensure individualized and comprehensive treatment for individuals with CLBP.