1. Contents 1.Key factsKey facts 2.What are back problems?What are back problems? 3.Prevalence of all back problems, 2011-12Prevalence of all back problems, 2011-12 4.Rate of back problems managed by GPs, 2003–04 to 2012–13Rate of back problems managed by GPs, 2003–04 to 2012–13 5.Rate of hospitalisations for back problems, 2003–04 to 2012–13Rate of hospitalisations for back problems, 2003–04 to 2012–13 6.Rate of hospitalisation for back problems, people aged 45 and over, 2003–04 to 2012–13Rate of hospitalisation for back problems, people aged 45 and over, 2003–04 to 2012–13 7.Self-assessed health of people aged 15 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12Self-assessed health of people aged 15 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12 8.Psychological distress in people aged 18 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12Psychological distress in people aged 18 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12 9.Pain experienced by people aged 18 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12Pain experienced by people aged 18 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12 10.Core activity limitations in people with and without back problems, 2009Core activity limitations in people with and without back problems, 2009 11.Expenditure on back problems, by age and sex, 2008–09Expenditure on back problems, by age and sex, 2008–09 Back problems

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3. Back problems by the numbers 1 in 7 Australians (14%) reported having back problems in 2011-12. That's 3 million people. Over 2 in 5 people with back problems (44% or 495,000) had some level of activity limitation in 2009—that is, they had difficulty in tasks and activities associated with mobility, communication or self-care. 1 st according to the Global Burden of Disease estimates, low back pain is ranked first in Australasia (including Australia and New Zealand), compared to sixth in the world. Back problems

4. What are back problems? Back problems are a range of conditions related to the bones, joints, connective tissue, muscles and nerves of the back. They are a significant cause of disability and lost productivity in Australia. These conditions include those affecting: the neck (cervical spine) upper back (thoracic spine) lower back (lumbar spine) sacrum and tailbone (coccyx). The following graphics are from the AIHW web snapshot Back problems http://www.aihw.gov.au/back-problems/ Information last updated in May 2015. Back problems

5. Prevalence of all back problems, 2011-12 Source: AIHW analysis of unpublished ABS ‘Australian Health Survey, 2011–12 (National Health Survey Component).

6. Back problems Rate of back problems managed by GPs, 2003–04 to 2012–13 Source: Family Medicine Research Centre, University of Sydney analysis of BEACH survey 2012–13 data

7. Back problems Rate of hospitalisations for back problems, 2003–04 to 2012–13 Source: AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database

8. Back problems Rate of hospitalisation for back problems, people aged 45 and over, 2003–04 to 2012–13 Source: AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database

9. Back problems Self-assessed health of people aged 15 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12 Source: AIHW analysis of unpublished ABS ‘Australian Health Survey, 2011–12 (National Health Survey Component).

10. Back problems Psychological distress in people aged 18 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12 Source: AIHW analysis of unpublished ABS ‘Australian Health Survey, 2011–12 (National Health Survey Component).

11. Back problems Pain experienced by people aged 18 and over with and without back problems, 2011–12 Source: AIHW analysis of unpublished ABS ‘Australian Health Survey, 2011–12 (National Health Survey Component).

12. Back problems Core activity limitations in people with and without back problems, 2009 Source: AIHW analysis of ABS 2009 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers

13. Back problems Expenditure on back problems, by age and sex, 2008–09 Source: AIHW Disease Expenditure Database