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:: Volume 29, Issue 7 (Special Issue 2025) ::
Feyz Med Sci J 2025, 29(7): 728-734 Back to browse issues page
Reducing the burden of low back pain among non‑communicable diseases in Iran: A policy brief
Ali Ahmadi * , Nilay Rezaei , Fatemeh Hajivalizadeh , Asghar Norouzzadeh , Jafar Jandaghi , Kouroush Etemad
SKUMS , aliahmadi2007@gmail.com
Abstract:   (223 Views)
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the leading causes of disability and a major contributor to the non‑communicable disease burden in Iran. In the absence of an integrated clinical guideline, care has been fragmented, imaging overused, and resources wasted. In response, and commissioned by the Ministry of Health, a national LBP guideline was developed through a structured review of high‑quality international guidelines and their adaptation to the Iranian PHC system. Addressing 20 key clinical questions, the guideline defines standardized pathways for diagnosis, treatment, referral, and follow‑up, and provides care flowcharts and service packages tailored to the national health network. A pilot implementation in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province using the STarT Back risk assessment tool showed a 22% prevalence of LBP, with fewer than 1% classified as high‑risk. These findings indicate that population‑wide screening is not cost‑effective, while targeted assessment of symptomatic individuals is the optimal strategy. The pilot also demonstrated that most patients can be effectively managed at the primary care level, with minimal need for specialist referral.
To reduce the burden of LBP, six policy options were assessed. Based on evidence, available resources, cost‑effectiveness, and pilot results, a combined approach-public education, targeted secondary prevention, and integration of care into the national electronic health record-is recommended as the most effective strategy for Iran. This approach aligns with international guidelines and can meaningfully enhance public trust, service efficiency, and the sustainability of health policies.

 
Keywords: Clinical practice guidelines, Low back pain, Neurologic manifestations, Policy Brief
Full-Text [PDF 460 kb]   (23 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Policy Brief | Subject: medicine, paraclinic
Received: 2025/12/6 | Revised: 2026/04/8 | Accepted: 2025/12/30 | Published: 2026/03/15
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Ahmadi A, Rezaei N, Hajivalizadeh F, Norouzzadeh A, Jandaghi J, Etemad K. Reducing the burden of low back pain among non‑communicable diseases in Iran: A policy brief. Feyz Med Sci J 2025; 29 (7) :728-734
URL: http://feyz.kaums.ac.ir/article-1-5457-en.html


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