Background Low back and neck pain is one of the most common health problems in society and one of the top reasons for admission to the hospital (1). Studies show that the level of physical activity decreases in individuals with chronic pain, and the cognitive level and quality of life are negatively affected (2). There are studies examining the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic process on the level of physical activity and cognitive level in various groups. However, the number of studies on how the history of Covid-19 affects individuals with low back and neck pain is limited.

Objectives The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Covid-19 history on cognitive level, pain catastrophe and physical activity level in individuals with chronic low back and neck pain in individuals.

Methods A total of 25 individuals with chronic pain, including 16 with low back pain and 9 with neck pain, were included in the study. Demographic data such as age, gender and body mass index (BMI) were obtained from all individuals. The education levels of the individuals were recorded. Cognitive level was assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)[3], pain severity was assessed by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), pain catastrophization was assessed by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)[4], and physical activity level was assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ- SF)[5].

Results:Demographic data, VAS, MoCA, PCS, and IPAQ-SF scores are given in Table 1. 7 of the participants had history of Covid-19, 18 did not. The MoCA scores and education levels of individuals with Covid-19 were higher than individuals without history of Covid-19 (p˂0.05). There was no difference in physical activity, pain and pain catastrophization levels between the 2 groups (p> 0.05).

Conclusion Surprisingly, individuals who had a history of Covid-19 had higher cognitive levels than individuals without a history of Covid-19. In addition, there was no difference between physical activity and pain catastrophization levels. This may be due to the higher education level of individuals with a history of Covid-19. There is a need for further studies in which education levels are similar, and hospitalization and the Covid-19 positivity process are examined in more detail.

References [1]Edwards, J., et al., Prevalence of low back pain in emergency settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2017. 18(1): p. 1-12.

[2]Moriarty, O., B.E. McGuire, and D.P. Finn, The effect of pain on cognitive function: a review of clinical and preclinical research. Progress in neurobiology, 2011. 93(3): p. 385-404.

[3]Ozdilek, B. and G. Kenangil, Validation of the Turkish Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA-TR) in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 2014. 28(2): p. 333-343.

[4]Sullivan, M.J., S.R. Bishop, and J. Pivik, The pain catastrophizing scale: development and validation. Psychological assessment, 1995. 7(4): p. 524.

[5]Koçyigit, H., et al., Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) Turkish validity and reliability study. İlaç ve Tedavi Dergisi (J Drug Therapy), 1999. 12: p. 102-106.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank my beloved wife Yasemin Özel Asliyüce for her existence and endless support in my life.

Disclosure of Interests None declared