Fibromyalgia & musculoskeletal pain
Impact of Positive Lifestyle Behaviors on Direct Health Care Cost Savings for Low Back Pain
Authors' conclusion
This study demonstrated the association between greater adherence to positive lifestyle behaviors and reduced health care costs related to LBP.
Study context
- Population
- Participants of the Australian Twin Back (AUTBACK) study with low back pain (LBP) and lifestyle behavior measures at baseline
- Participants
- 307 participants
- Exposure
- Lifestyle behavior scale, per one-point improvement
- Outcome
- Health care costs for LBP (health care visits and medications; personal and Australia Medicare costs)
- Follow-up
- One year
Methodological detailstwo-part models, accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA)
- Two-part models
- Accelerometer-measured PA
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Health care costs for LBP per one-point improvement in lifestyle behavior scale
Decrease in overall health care costs for LBP
23%
95% CI 7%–36%P = 0.006
Decrease in medication costs for LBP
25%
95% CI 13%–35%P < 0.001
Decrease in health care visit costs for LBP
27%
95% CI 14%–39%P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Predicted difference in yearly health care use costs, lowest vs highest lifestyle scores
- Predicted difference
- AU$873
Concentration of expenditures
- Share of participants accounting for over 56% of total expenditures
- 2.6%
Likelihood of incurring health care use costs
- More likely with lower lifestyle behavior scores, women, and baseline episode of LBP
Original publication
Impact of Positive Lifestyle Behaviors on Direct Health Care Cost Savings for Low Back Pain. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 14 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →