The University of Adelaide's Experts Lead Landmark Australian Study on Back and Neck Pain

A team of experts from the University of Adelaide is spearheading the Australian Longitudinal Study on Back and Neck Pain, in collaboration with researchers from the University of South Australia, the South Australian Chronic Pain Statewide Clinical Network at the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health, and Chronic Pain Australia, a prominent consumer organization.

This groundbreaking study aims to unravel the risk factors associated with back and neck pain by engaging thousands of participants in an extensive annual online survey that will monitor the progression of their conditions over several years.

Back and neck pain constitute significant global health challenges, causing substantial disability for millions of individuals. In 2019-20, these conditions imposed an estimated $3.4 billion burden on the Australian healthcare system.

The invaluable data collected through this study will be shared with government bodies and policymakers, facilitating more efficient resource allocation and, most importantly, enhancing patient outcomes.

Longitudinal studies like this one serve as an invaluable source of data, offering continuous insights into the critical factors influencing health outcomes.