Experts from the University of Adelaide are leading the Australian Longitudinal Study on Back and Neck Pain and are working with researchers from the University of South Australia, the South Australian Chronic Pain Statewide Clinical Network at the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health, and peak consumer organisation Chronic Pain Australia.

The study will investigate risk factors for back and neck pain by asking thousands of participants to take part in a comprehensive, annual online survey that will track how their ailments are progressing over several years.

Leading causes of disability globally, back and neck pain are both major health problems for millions of people worldwide. It is estimated that both neck and back pain cost the Australian health system $3.4 billion in 2019-20.

The data collected from this study will be made available to government and policymakers with the aim of optimising resource allocation, and importantly improving outcomes for patients.

Longitudinal studies are a rich source of data that provide opportunities for ongoing research into key factors influencing health outcomes.