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Member, Beacon International Group, Ltd.
The prevalence of back pain is on the rise, while the incidence of “chronic” back pain is rising even faster with its growth expected to continue or accelerate, a recent report warns.
The number of U.S. adults experiencing back pain rose 29% from 30.2 million during 2000-2001 to 38.9 million in 2006-2007, according to the study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
Even more frightening for health care-payers, the number of adults with chronic back pain increased 64% from 7.8 million to 12.8 million during the same period.
Aging baby boomers are likely contributing to an increasing demand for related pain services, the report states.
“In 2006 to 2007, the national costs for patients with chronic back pain were $35.7 billion compared with $17.2 billion for patients with nonchronic back pain,” the report states.
It's not good news for work comp payers.