The Moderating Effect of Pain Frequency on Sleep Quality and Anxiety in Young Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain

Rui YANG; Mou WANG; Yifan YANG; Tao DING; Shengliu SHI; Jing XU

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Rui YANG, Mou WANG, Yifan YANG, Tao DING, Shengliu SHI, Jing XU. The Moderating Effect of Pain Frequency on Sleep Quality and Anxiety in Young Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain[J]. Journal of Kunming Medical University.

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The Moderating Effect of Pain Frequency on Sleep Quality and Anxiety in Young Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain

1.
School of Rehabilitation，Kunming Medical University，Kunming Yunnan 650500
2.
Department of Rehabilitation，The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University，Kunming Yunnan 650032，China

Received Date: 2025-08-06

Abstract

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between sleep quality and anxiety symptoms in young adults with chronic low back pain （CLBP）, and to analyze the moderating effect of pain frequency in the sleep-anxiety relationship. Methods A cross-sectional study design was employed, and a questionnaire survey was conducted among 150 young CLBP patients （aged 18 ～ 44 years） who attended the Rehabilitation Medicine Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from September 2024 to May 2025. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index （PSQI）, while anxiety levels were measured with the Self-rating Anxiety Scale （SAS）. Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests, Spearman correlation analysis, and Process macro （version 4.2）. Results A significantly positive correlation was demonstrated between the total PSQI score and the total SAS score （r_s = 0.385, P < 0.01）. Low back pain frequency demonstrated significantly positive correlations with both the PSQI total score （r_s = 0.399） and the sleep disturbance dimension （r_s = 0.490, P < 0.01）. No statistically significant differences in sleep or anxiety were found based on gender or age （P > 0.05）. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the interaction term between PSQI and low back pain frequency had a significant positive predictive effect on SAS （β = 0.133, P < 0.05）. PSQI scores significantly predicted SAS scores across different levels of low back pain frequency （95% CI did not include 0）. Conclusions Sleep quality is correlated with anxiety in young adults with CLBP, and pain frequency plays a moderating role in the sleep-anxiety relationship. Increased frequency of low back pain may exacerbate sleep problems, thereby contributing to anxiety. This suggests that pain frequency should be regarded as an important early warning indicator in clinical intervention.
- Chronic low back pain,
- Sleep quality,
- Anxiety,
- Pain frequency,
- Young adult

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References(27)

References

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