Alberta Back Care Pathway (ABCp)

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA · Jul 7, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Alberta Back Care Pathway (ABCp) trial is studying a new approach to help people in Alberta who suffer from low back pain (LBP). This study aims to improve how family doctors manage LBP by providing them with a clear, easy-to-follow guide that includes effective, low-cost treatments. By training doctors to categorize patients based on their specific needs, the ABCp hopes to improve the quality of care, reduce the use of healthcare resources, and help patients feel better overall.

To participate in this trial, you need to be an adult living in Alberta and speak English. You should also be experiencing low back pain, but certain conditions, like recent injuries or specific health issues, may prevent you from participating. If you join, you can expect to receive care based on the latest evidence, which could lead to positive changes in your health and daily life. Overall, this trial aims to create a sustainable solution for managing low back pain effectively in the community, benefiting both patients and the healthcare system.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Licensed physicians in the Edmonton West Primary Care Network (EWPCN) and the Calgary Chronic Pain Centre (CPC)
• • Age ≥18 years; (no upper age limit)
• • English speaking and a resident of Alberta who have cognition and language sufficient to understand written information, and to provide consent.
• • Cauda equina syndrome or infection, fracture
• • Single or multiple items such as age over 70, female, significant trauma, and prolonged corticosteroid use)
• • Cancer (single or multiple items such as older age, and previous history of cancer)
• • For the CPC site specifically: additional requirement of depression and anxiety as rated using the PHQ4 exclusion will include score of 3 or greater on the first two questions combined and/or score of 3 or greater on the third and 4th question combined
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Low back pain is caused by a recent motor vehicle accident
• • WCB case
• • Any known contraindication to exercise (i.e., unstable angina, uncontrolled arrhythmia, severe aortic stenosis).
• • Current participation in a supervised exercise or rehabilitation program or enrolled in another interventional clinical trial.
• • Plans for, or undergoing, surgery that would involve the spine directly or indirectly or place them into a position where any of the interventions in this trial would be contraindicated as a result of the surgery.