A cross-sectional study of disability and quality of life in patients with low back pain: Focus on sex and gender

Associations of Gender Role and Pain in Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

Previous studies have investigated the association of gender roles with pain outcomes in healthy individuals. However, little is known about this association in those with musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders. Therefore, this mixed-methods systematic review aimed to investigate the association of sociocultural gender roles on pain outcomes in adults with MSK disorders. Literature from Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Embase was reviewed from inception to February 2023. Eligibility criteria included studies of adults with an MSK pain disorder that explored the relationship between gender roles and pain for all primary qualitative and quantitative study designs. Exclusion criteria were gray literature, review articles, case studies, and conference proceedings. Risk of bias was assessed via the Quality Appraisal for Diverse Studies for quantitative studies and the McMaster Quality Appraisal Tool for qualitative studies. Eleven studies were included, 9 qualitative, and 2 quantitative with a total of 540 participants (19.6% women, 80.4% men) with various MSK disorders. The convergent integrated approach was used to synthesize data from the qualitative and quantitative studies resulting in 3 themes and 7 subthemes. Our findings identified differences in the way individuals explained the cause of their pain, were treated for their pain in a social and systemic context, and in describing the effect pain had on their lives based on gender roles. There is a need for pain management to evolve to acknowledge the individual pain experience through exploration of an individual's gender identity and roles. PERSPECTIVE: This article demonstrates that gender roles have a multidimensional influence on the pain experience in those with MSK disorders. These findings support the development of gender-sensitive, patient-centered approaches to pain management, acknowledging each individual's important roles and identities.

Postural and Lumbopelvic Control: Crucial Factors in the Functionality of Patients with Low Back Pain-A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders in adults worldwide. Alterations in postural and lumbopelvic control and functionality appear to be determining factors in its resolution. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. Patients with LBP were enrolled. Lumbar pain; postural control (PC), total area of the center of pressure (TACOP), and the velocity of the center of pressure (VCOP); lumbopelvic control (LPC); and functionality were evaluated. Statistical tests were implemented to determine differences between sex and age and correlation models among the variables. Results: Thirty adult patients with LBP were analyzed. A strong relationship was found between pain and functionality [r = 0.64; p < 0.001]. A moderate relationship was found between pain and TACOP [r = 0.395; p = 0.031]. A moderate relationship was observed between TACOP and functionality [0.413; p = 0.023] and between LPC and TACOP [r = 0.416; p = 0.001]. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the significant impact of LBP on postural control, lumbopelvic control, and functionality. These results highlight the importance of addressing postural and lumbopelvic control in LBP treatment. No significant differences based on gender and age were found, but all clinical variables differed significantly between the LBP and control groups, underscoring the unique impairments associated with LBP.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Gender Identity Scale for Transgender Women in China

Transgender women are an important subgroup of the transgender umbrella and have their own unique gender identity. This article aimed to understand and measure the latent concept of gender identity among Chinese transgender women from a multi-dimensional perspective. Through a two-phase, iterative scale development process, we developed the Gender Identity Scale for Transgender Women (GIS-TW) in Chinese. Literature reviews, expert consultations, and focus groups constitute phrase 1 of the study, which resulted in the first version of GIS-TW with 30 items. In phrase 2, exploratory factor analysis on a sample of 244 Chinese transgender women revealed a six-factor solution across the 22 items. The Bem Sex Role Inventory was included to test for convergent validity, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used to test discriminant validity. Then we conducted the confirmatory factor analysis with an independent sample of 420 Chinese transgender women, which produced the final version of GIS-TW with 21 items. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.71-0.87) and test-retest stability (r = 0.73-0.87) of each factor was good. In conclusion, the GIS-TW is a reliable and valid psychometric tool for the assessment of Chinese transgender women's gender identity. Future application of the scale will help transgender women obtain better gender confirmative interventions.