ArticleBMJ open2020
Patient and general practitioner views of tools to delay diagnostic imaging for low back pain: a qualitative study.
Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- Why Most Australians Consider It Valuable to Find Harmless Abnormalities with Diagnostic Tests: A Mixed-Methods Study.Medical decision making : an international journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making · 2026Article
- Australian General Practitioners' Use of Diagnostic Lumbar Spine Imaging for Patients With Acute Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study.Musculoskeletal care · 2025Article
- Accessible Patient Education Materials for Low Back Pain Rarely Meet People's Information Needs: A Scoping Review.Musculoskeletal care · 2025Article
- Understanding patients' perceptions of uncomplicated low back pain: a theory-informed qualitative study using the Common-Sense Self-Regulation Model.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- What guides back pain care? A content analysis of low back pain directives in the Australian context.Health research policy and systems · 2023Article
- Implementation Initiatives to Improve Low Back Pain Care in Australia: A Scoping Review.Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) · 2022Article
- Reducing low-value radiological services in Norway -a qualitative multi-professional study on measures and facilitators for change.BMC health services research · 2022Article
- "I would not go to him": Focus groups exploring community responses to a public health campaign aimed at reducing unnecessary diagnostic imaging of low back pain.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveDelayed prescribing is a promising strategy to manage patient requests for unnecessary tests and treatments. The purpose of this study was to explore general practitioner (GP) and patient views of three communication tools (Overdiagnosis Leaflet, Dialogue Sheet and 'Wait-and-see' Note) to support delayed prescribing of diagnostic imaging.
designQualitative study.
settingPrimary and emergency care in Sydney, Australia.
participants16 GPs and 14 patients with recent episode of low back pain. OUTCOME: Views on the tools to delay diagnostic imaging for low back pain. Data were collected using a combination of focus groups and individual interviews. ANALYSIS: Two researchers independently performed a thematic analysis, and the author team reviewed and refined the analysis.
resultsGP participants responded positively to the Overdiagnosis Leaflet. The Dialogue Sheet and 'Wait-and-see' Note raised several concerns about patient pushback, adding to time pressure and being overwhelmed with hard-to-find paper resources. GPs preferred to communicate verbally the reasons to delay an imaging test. For patients, the reactions to the tools were more positive. Patients valued written information and a signed agreement to delay the test. However, patients expressed that a strong desire for diagnostic imaging would likely over-ride any effect of written advice to delay the test. The term 'false alarm' to describe overdiagnosis was poorly understood by patients.
conclusionsGPs and patients agreed that a leaflet about overdiagnosis could support a delayed prescribing approach to imaging for low back pain. The Dialogue Sheet and 'Wait-and-see' Note were acceptable to patients but not to GPs.
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Registered trials
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