Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Coping style as a predictor of compliance with referral to active rehabilitation in whiplash patients

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Clinical Rheumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the odds ratio for compliance with referral to an active treatment program according to coping style in a cohort of acute whiplash-injured subjects. Sixty whiplash patients were assessed within 1 week of their collision for their coping styles and were then questioned 3 weeks later to determine if they had complied with a referral for an active treatment program. Coping style was assessed with the Vanderbilt Pain Management Inventory. Adjusting for age, gender, and initial whiplash disability questionnaire scores, the odds ratio for compliance with therapy for subjects who had a low active/high passive coping style was 0.15 (P = 0.03) (95% CI, 0.03–0.86) relative to all other coping style patterns, whose odds ratios did not differ from each other. As a secondary outcome, the odds ratio for reporting prescription medication use for subjects who had a low active/high passive coping style was 6.7 (P = 0.038) (95% CI, 1.1–40.4). Those whiplash patients who have a low active/high passive coping style are less likely to attend an active exercise-based rehabilitation program and more likely to use prescription medications in the first 3 weeks following injury. Coping style may affect recovery from whiplash injury through issues of compliance with active therapy and increased reliance on prescription medications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Siminoff LA, Hausmann LR, Ibrahim S (2008) Barriers to obtaining diagnostic testing for coronary artery disease among veterans. Am J Public Health 98(12):2207–2213, Epub 2008 Apr 1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Weaver TE (2006) Adherence to positive airway pressure therapy. Curr Opin Pulm Med 12(6):409–413

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Ben-Zur H, Rappaport B, Ammar R, Uretzky G (2000) Coping strategies, life style changes, and pessimism after open-heart surgery. Health Soc Work 25(3):201–209

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Moos RH, Schaefer JA (1991) Coping resources and processes: current concept s and measures. In: Goldberger L, Breznitz S (eds) Handbook of stress: theoretical and clinical aspects, 2nd edn. Free Press, New York, pp 234–257

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lazarus RS (1991) Emotion and adaptation. Oxford University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bigos S, Boyer O, Braen G, Brown K (eds.) (1994) Acute low back problems in adults. Clinical Practice Guideline No. 14. Rockville, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

  7. Fordyce WE (1995) Back pain in the workplace: management of disability in nonspecific conditions: a report of the task force on pain in the workplace of the International Association for the Study of Pain. IASP Press, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  8. Brown GK, Nicassio PM (1987) Development of a questionnaire for the assessment of active and passive coping strategies in chronic pain patients. Pain 31:53–64

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Mercado AC, Carroll L, Cassidy JD, Cote’ P (2000) Coping with neck and low back pain in the general population. Health Psychol 19:333–338

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zautra AJ, Burleson MH, Smith CA, Blalock SJ, Wallston KA, DeVellis RF et al (1995) Arthritis and perceptions of quality of life: an examination of positive and negative affect in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Health Psychol 14:399–408

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Snow-Turek AL, Norris MP, Tan G (1996) Active and passive coping strategies in chronic pain patients. Pain 64:455–462

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Smith CA, Wallston KA (1992) Adaptation in patients with chronic rheumatoid arthritis: application of a general model. Health Psychol 11:151–162

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Brown GK, Nicassio PM, Wallston KA (1989) Pain coping strategies and depression in rheumatoid arthritis. J Consult Clin Psychol 57:652–657

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Carroll L, Mercado AC, Cassidy JD, Cĵté P (2002) A population-based study of factors associated with combinations of actie and passive coping with neck and low back pain. J Rehabil Med 34(2):67–72

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Härkäpää K (1991) Relationships of psychological distress and health locus of control beliefs with the use of cognitive and behavioral coping strategies in low back pain patients. Clin J Pain 7:275–282

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hoving JL, O’Leary EF, Niere KR, Green S, Buchbinder R (2003) Validity of the neck disability index, Northwick Park neck pain questionnaire, and problem elicitation technique for measuring disability associated with whiplash-associated disorders. Pain 102:273–281

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Pinfold M, Niere KR, Hoving J, Green S, O’Leary E, Buchbinder R (2004) Validity and internal consistency of a whiplash specific disability measure. Spine 29:263–268

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Vernon H, Mior S (1991) The neck disability index: a study of reliability and validity. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 14:409–415

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Willis C, Niere KR, Hoving JL, Green S, O’Leary EF, Buchbinder R (2004) Reproducibility and responsiveness of the whiplash disability questionnaire. Pain 110:681–688

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Carroll LJ, Holm LW, Hogg-Johnson S et al (2009) Course and prognostic factors for neck pain in whiplash-associated disorders (WAD): results of the bone and joint decade 2000–2010 task force on neck pain and its associated disorders. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 32(2 Suppl):S97–S107

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Verhagen AP, Scholten-Peeters GG, van Wijngaarden S, de Bie RA, Bierma-Zeinstra SM (2007) Conservative treatments for whiplash. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2):CD003338

Download references

Disclosures

None

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert Ferrari.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ferrari, R., Louw, D. Coping style as a predictor of compliance with referral to active rehabilitation in whiplash patients. Clin Rheumatol 30, 1221–1225 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-011-1742-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-011-1742-1

Keywords

Navigation