The University of Sydney
Discipline of Physiotherapy
ABN 15 211 513 464
Paulo H Ferreira, BPT, MSc, PhD
Clinical & Rehabilitation Sciences Research Group
Lecturer – Physiotherapy
Faculty of Health Sciences
75 East Street
PO Box 170
Lidcombe NSW 1825
AUSTRALIA
Telephone: +61 2 9351 9397
Facsimile: + 61 2 9351 9601
Email:
P.Ferreira@usyd.edu.au
The Prevalence and Risk Factors for Low Back Pain among Twins: Telephone
Interview
Dear Twin Registry Member,
Thank you for completing the questionnaire and participating in the research project into
Lower Back Pain lead by Dr Paulo Ferreira at the University of Sydney. You might recall that
the questionnaire contained questions regarding whether you had low back pain or not and
your levels of physical activity amongst other lifestyle factors. We are using this data to
investigate whether any of these factors are associated with low back pain.
What’s next?
In order to further explore the factors associated with low back pain we would like to invite
you to participate in the next phase of this study. This time the researchers would interview
you to discuss why you think you or your twin had or did not have low back pain. The
telephone interview will take approximately 30 minutes. You will be asked to nominate a date
and time that are most convenient to you.
Participation is confidential and voluntary.
Participation is confidential. Study information will be kept in a secure location at the
University of Sydney where ethical regulations are imposed. The participants in this study
will be identified only by identification number, and the results of the study may be published
or presented at professional meetings. Participation in the study is voluntary. You may
choose to withdraw from the study or discontinue the interview at any stage and do not need
to answer any question you are not comfortable answering.
Any person with concerns or complaints about the conduct of a research study can contact
the Deputy Manager, Human Ethics Administration, University of Sydney on (02) 8627 8176
(Telephone); (02) 8627 8177 (Facsimile) or human.ethics@usyd.edu.au.
Are you suitable for this study?
In this phase of the study we need twins who have had different past experiences of low
back pain*. If you are willing to participate in this study, please indicate which one of the
following options best describes you, so that we can select suitable twin pairs for the
interview.
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Please indicate only ONE, replying with a single letter only (either A, B, C, D, E, F, G or H)
A:
I have never had pain in my low back.
B:
I have had pain in my low back, BUT it was NOT bad enough to limit my usual
activities or change my daily routine for more than one day. I have NOT had pain in
my low back during the past 4 weeks.
C:
I have had pain in my low back, BUT it was NOT bad enough to limit my usual
activities or change my daily routine for more than one day. I have had pain in my low
back during the past 4 weeks.
D:
I have had pain in my low back, AND it was bad enough to limit my usual activities or
change my daily routine for more than one day but for less than 3 months. I have
NOT had pain in my low back during the past 4 weeks.
E:
I have had pain in my low back, AND it was bad enough to limit my usual activities or
change my daily routine for more than one day but for less than 3 months. I have had
pain in my low back during the past 4 weeks.
F:
I have had pain in my low back, AND it was bad enough to limit my usual activities or
change my daily routine for 3 months or more. I have NOT had pain in my low back
during the past 4 weeks.
G:
I have had pain in my low back, AND it was bad enough to limit my usual activities or
change my daily routine for 3 months or more. I have had pain in my low back during
the past 4 weeks.
H:
Other.
If you would like to be involved, we will contact you to inform you whether you were suitable
or not for this phase of the study.
Should you have any questions regarding the study, please do not hesitate to contact us on
(02) 9351 9397 or email at Paulo.ferreira@sydney.edu.au.
Thank you for your consideration.
*Please do not report pain from feverish illness or menstruation
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