Back Pain among Homemakers

Homemakers. The invisible occupation. But it's not invisible to the doctors who treat the many cases of back pain among homemakers. The results of this study show what happens to homemakers with low back pain (LBP) compared to women working outside the home who also have LBP.

Women covered under a large HMO (health maintenance organization) plan in Canada were the subjects of this study. Everyone was called by phone and asked questions about their pain and limits on function. Phone calls were made four to six weeks after the first doctor visit. The women were called again one and two years later.

By comparing employed workers to homemakers, researchers can look at the effect of formal employment has on LBP in women. In this study no difference was found between the two groups. The authors conclude that formal employment doesn't affect later function in women with LBP.