Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37553703›Full record

ArticleChiropractic & manual therapies2023

Using medical storytelling to communicate problems and solutions in the low back pain conundrum: an evidence-based tale of twins.

Donald R Murphy, Brian D Justice, Jeffrey Borkan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Chiropractic & manual therapies, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Donald R MurphyDepartment of Family Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 133 Dellwood Road, Cranston, RI, 02920, USA. CRISP4PSP@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3347-569X
Brian D JusticeExcellus BlueCross BlueShield, 165 Court Street, Rochester, NY, 14647, USA.
Jeffrey BorkanDepartment of Family Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 111 Brewster St, Pawtucket, RI, 02860, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesLow back pain (LBP) is the number one cause of disability world-wide. It is also the most expensive area in healthcare. Patient-centered innovations are needed. This paper uses medical storytelling to illustrate the common problems that often lead to unnecessary suffering for patients, and costs to society. We present innovative solutions, including narrative interventions.

methodsWe use medical storytelling to present a scenario in which hypothetical twin patients with identical LBP episodes enter the healthcare system, with one twin managed in an appropriate manner, and the other inappropriately.

resultsOne twin becomes a chronic LBP sufferer, while the other experiences quick resolution, despite identical conditions. Recommendations are made to de-implement inappropriate action and to implement a more productive approach.

conclusionsMany patients with LBP descend into chronic pain. This is rarely inevitable based on clinical factors. Much of chronic LBP results from how the condition is handled within the healthcare system. Medical narrative may be one innovation to illustrate the problem of current LBP management, recommend solutions and foster changes in clinical behavior. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The starkly different outcomes for each identical twin are illustrated. Recommendations are made for reframing the situation to de-implement the inappropriate and to implement a more appropriate approach.

Indexed as

Chronic PainLow Back PainCommunicationHumansHealthcare Problem-SolvingHealthcare SystemHealth PolicyHealth System incentiveLearning Health SystemsLow back PainMedical narratives, Health Care ReformNeck PainPatient-centered carePrimary careRelationship-centered careSpine

Identifiers

PMID37553703
PMCPMC10410981

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.