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OPAL logo

The Oxford Pain, Activity and Lifestyle (OPAL) study is now open to recruitment.

The OPAL cohort study, which is part of the BOOST (Better Outcomes for Older people with Spinal Trouble) programme of work, is studying health outcomes in older adults. The pilot site, a GP practice in Birmingham, opened on 4 October 2016 and further sites will be opened shortly.

OPAL is a five year survey study which looks at how people's health and physical activity change over time. Data will be collected from 4,000 community dwelling adults, aged 65 and over, from 40 GP practices across England. The information collected will help the study team to understand how a person's health affects their mobility as they age, and provide insight into improving the management of health in older adults.

The aim is to develop a prognostic tool using the study data that will help older people, GPs and other health professionals identify when low back pain is a risk factor for disability, functional limitation and loss of mobility, and when it should be prioritised as a treatment target.

More information can be found on the study website www.opalstudy.org.uk