Context: Studies suggest that yoga is effective for moderate to severe chronic low back pain (cLBP) in diverse\npredominantly lower socioeconomic status populations. However, little is known about factors associated with benefit\nfrom the yoga intervention.\nObjective: Identify factors at baseline independently associated with greater efficacy among participants in a\nstudy of yoga for cLBP.\nDesign: From September-December 2011, a 12-week randomized dosing trial was conducted comparing weekly\nvs. twice-weekly 75-minute hatha yoga classes for 95 predominantly low-income minority adults with nonspecific\ncLBP. Participant characteristics collected at baseline were used to determine factors beyond treatment assignment\n(reported in the initial study) that predicted outcome. We used bivariate testing to identify baseline characteristics\nassociated with improvement in function and pain, and included select factors in a multivariate linear regression.\nSetting: Recruitment and classes occurred in an academic safety-net hospital and five affiliated community\nhealth centers in Boston, Massachusetts.\nParticipants: Ninety-five adults with nonspecific cLBP, ages ranging from 20-64 (mean 48) years; 72 women\nand 23 men.\nOutcome measures: Primary outcomes were changes in back-related function (modified Roland-Morris\nDisability Questionnaire, RMDQ; 0-23) and mean low back pain intensity (0-10) in the previous week, from baseline\nto week 12.\nResults: Adjusting for group assignment, baseline RMDQ, age, and gender, foreign nationality and lower\nbaseline SF36 physical component score (PCS) were independently associated with improvement in RMDQ.\nGreater than high school education level, cLBP less than 1 year, and lower baseline SF36 PCS were independently\nassociated with improvement in pain intensity. Other demographics including race, income, gender, BMI, and use of\npain medications were not associated with either outcome.\nConclusions: Poor physical health at baseline is associated with greater improvement from yoga in backrelated\nfunction and pain. Race, income, and body mass index do not affect the potential for a person with low back\npain to experience benefit from yoga.
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