There were about 3.4 million emergency department visits by patients with back problems. During the same period of time, there were over 663,000 inpatient stays in hospitals for back surgery or other back disorders. The report found that adults ages 18-44 were most likely to require emergency department care for back pain and seniors 65-84 were the least likely.
However, seniors were more likely to be hospitalized for back pain than the younger population and men were less likely than women to need emergency department care or hospitalization for back pain.
Read the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project report on back pain and surgery (pdf).
Read other coverage on spine surgery:
– Spine Surgery in 2011 and Beyond: 7 Points About the future of Spine Surgery
– Spine Surgery Research: 3 Areas of Focus
– Latest Trends in Spine Surgery Techniques: Laser and Stem Cell Technology
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