Prevalence of self-reported back pain in school children: A study of sociodemographic differences

Abstract

The study considers the prevalence of back pain experienced in a nationwide random sample of 2173 Icelandic school children aged 11–12 and 15–16. The study found a 20.6% prevalence of “at least weekly” back pain. The prevalence of back pain was significantly more frequent among the older children. No gender or class difference was found in the overall sample. Older children from rural areas have significantly more back pain than those living in the city. The need for a thorough epidemiological investigation of the association of back pain in children is emphasized.