Characterizing Low Back Pain Healthcare Utilization in the Military Health Care System by Active-Duty Service Members with an Extremity Amputation — MHSRS 2021

Rhon D, Greenlee T, Farrhoki S, Young

Abstract submitted to Military Health System Research Symposium 2021.

Extremity amputation is a life-altering consequence associated with some traumatic injuries. Due to occupational hazards inherent with military service, service members are at higher risk for extremity amputation compared to their civilian counterparts. Between January 2001 and October 2017, 1705 service members with combat deployment history sustained an extremity amputation (2316 unique extremity amputations). The majority of amputations were in the lower extremity (1914 total amputations) compared to the upper extremity (402 total amputations). Unfortunately, physical disability is not limited to the loss of limb alone but also accompanied by many other medical morbidities. One of the most commonly reported is low back pain. Alteration in biomechanical, psychological, and social factors after limb amputation can contribute to the development of back pain-related symptoms and disability. Back pain with extremity amputation has been investigated in prior studies, but a more granular assessment of low-back pain-related healthcare utilization in extremity amputation and back pain has not been conducted. Characterizing the healthcare utilization provides an improved understanding of the medical burden incurred to the Military Health System by these patients specific to low back pain. The purpose of this study was to characterize back pain-related healthcare utilization in beneficiaries of the Military Health System that have undergone an amputation. A secondary aim was to assess the differences in healthcare utilization and costs between regions of amputation (upper versus lower limb).