Less Pain, Better Sleep? The Effect of a Multidisciplinary Back Pain App on Sleep Quality in Individuals Suffering from Back Pain – a Secondary Analysis of App User Data
Abstract
Purpose Mobile health solutions are finding their way into health systems. The Kaia app has been shown to be able to reduce back pain in two studies. Since pain often comes along with disturbed sleep and both symptoms are strongly related we investigated whether the Kaia app training is associated with improved sleep quality. Methods User data of individuals with back pain were collected in two app versions (cohort 1: N = 180; cohort 2: N = 159). We analyzed the ratings of sleep quality and pain intensity on a 11-point numeric ratings scale (NRS; 0–10) both at the beginning of usage (baseline: BL) and on the individual last day of usage (follow-up: LU) within a 3-month training program. Results In both cohorts, we found a significant reduction in pain intensity from BL to LU (cohort 1: MBL = 4.80; SD = 1.59 to MLU = 3.75; SD = 1.76, Δpain = –1.04; SD = 2.12; t(158) = 6.207; p<.001/cohort 2: MBL = 4.20; SD = 1.98 to MLU = 3.65; SD = 1.78; Δpain = –0.50; SD = 2.04; t(147) = 3.001; p = 0.003) and a significant improvement of sleep quality (cohort 1: MBL = 5.76; SD = 2.12 to MLU = 6.56; SD = 1.72; Δsleep = t(158) = 4.310; p < 0.001/cohort 2: MBL = 6.08; SD = 2.08 to MLU = 6.76; SD = 1.55; Δsleep = 0.67; SD = 2.13; sleep: t(147) = 3.825; p < 0.001). Interestingly, improvement of sleep quality was not fully mediated by pain reduction. Conclusion Our analysis underlines the relationship between pain and sleep in the clinical context. Improvement of sleep quality came along with…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a secondary / pooled analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 180 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Global, regional, and national burden of hepatitis B, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
- A meta‐analysis of anal cancer incidence by risk group: Toward a unified anal cancer risk scale
- Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021, with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
- Exercise interventions in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Prognostic Significance of Carbonic Anhydrase IX Expression in Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis
- Glucocorticoid Resistance: Is It a Requisite for Increased Cytokine Production in Depression? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.