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IJE Advance Access published online on November 17, 2007
International Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/ije/dym220
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Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association © The Author 2007; all rights reserved.

Back pain, a communicable disease?

Heiner Raspe1,*, Angelika Hueppe1 and Hannelore Neuhauser2

1Institute for Social Medicine, University of Luebeck, D Luebeck, Germany.
2Department of Epidemiology and Health Reporting, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.

*Corresponding author. Institute for Social Medicine, University of Luebeck, Beckergrube 43–47, D 23552 Luebeck, Germany. E-mail: heiner.raspe{at}uk-sh.de


  Abstract

Background Back pain (BP) is a frequent disorder affecting currently up to 40% of adults inWestern Europe. Most of it is said to be ‘non-specific’, i.e. lacking an obvious patho-anatomical explanation. It is seldom the consequence of a contagious disease caused by microorganisms. This does not exclude it from being communicable if ‘communicable’ is to refer to something being transmitted by sharing or exchanging information.

Aim To propose the hypothesis of BP being a communicable disease.

Methods and results We base our hypothesis on a reanalysis of five German health surveys. They show a wide gap in BP prevalence between West and East Germany early after reunification. The gap consistently decreased to nearly zero in 2003. Work disability data followed a comparable course.

Discussion Various processes may have contributed to the observed changes. Our hypothesis is corroborated by experimental research showing that BP-related beliefs, attitudes and behaviour could positively be influenced by media campaigns and by insights from another recent epidemic.

Keywords Back pain, epidemiology, Germany, communicable disease, hypothesis

Accepted 2 October 2007


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S. Reichenbach and J. N. Katz
Commentary: When East meets West--comments on 'back pain as a communicable disease'
Int. J. Epidemiol., February 1, 2008; 37(1): 74 - 76.
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