Effects of functions of daily living, depression, and anxiety on catastrophizing pain among patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of daily life functions, anxiety, and depression on pain catastrophizing among patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive research. The participants were 136 patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery at one general hospital. They were surveyed using structured questionnaires on daily life functions, anxiety, and depression related to pain catastrophizing. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: The results indicate that pain catastrophizing was negatively correlated with all sub-domains of daily life functions, such as low back pain, low back function, gait ability, social life functions, and mental health, whereas it was positively correlated with anxiety and depression. However, only mental health, a sub-domain of daily life functions after surgery, was found to have a significant effect on pain catastrophizing. Conclusion: This study confirmed that mental health-related daily life functions after surgery were predictors of pain catastrophizing. Therefore, to alleviate pain catastrophizing in patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery, it is necessary to develop nursing interventions that can assist with mental health-related daily life functions after surgery as well as physical recovery.