Long-term assessment of a sanitary education and lumbar rehabilitation program for health care workers with chronic low back pain at the University Hospital of Lille

A back school was established in 1992 at the University Hospital of Lille (France) for employees with low back pain. We report its medical and socioeconomic benefits with a mean time to follow-up of 4 years. Our retrospective study included 108 health care workers and provides objective data (absenteeism, use of health care) and subjective information (progression of pain and disorder, social and professional impact) before training and a mean of 4 years after training. We found that 92% of the participants were satisfied with the training and that back pain had regressed or resolved for 55% of them. Both the frequency and duration of pain had decreased significantly. Seventy percent continue to apply the advice they received in their everyday life. Dealing with the problems specific to professional activities contributed to reduce the strain experienced on the job by the health care workers and improved their satisfaction at work. Global absenteeism was reduced by 57.8%, whereas it was reduced by 33% for back pain alone 4 years after implementing this program. Our study provides evidence of the positive impact of this type of training on the way back pain is perceived and on everyday life. The assessment of the cost/efficiency ratio completes the list of durable benefits reported here.