Table 3.
Health service utilisation comparing those who did or did not receive acupuncture for low back pain.
| Health service utilisation |
No acupuncture n = 1,145 |
Acupuncture n = 175 |
Unadjusted OR | Adjusted OR* |
| Specialist consultations | 641 (54 %) | 150 (84%) | 4.5 (CI 3–6.8) | 3.2 (CI 2–5.2) |
| Sick leave (%) (n = 776**) | 346 (51 %) | 56 (63 %) | 1.7 (CI 1.1–2.6) | 1.7 (CI 1–2.6) |
| Manual/chiropractic therapy | 270 (23 %) | 83 (46 %) | 3 (CI 2.2–4.1) | 3.4 (CI 2.3–4.8) |
| Physiotherapy | 534 (46 %) | 113 (63 %) | 2 (CI 1.5–2.8) | 1.6 (CI1.2–2.4) |
| Massage | 350 (30 %) | 67 (37 %) | 1.4 (CI 1–1.9) | 1.2 (CI 0.8–1.7) |
| Medication for LBP | ||||
| ▪ No medication | 320 (24 %) | 25 (16 %) | 0.5 (CI 0.34–0.9) | 0.53 (CI 0.34–0.83) |
| ▪ Non-opioids*** | 714 (61 %) | 132 (75 %) | 1.8 (CI 1.3–2.7) | 1.6 (CI 1.1–2.5) |
| ▪ Opioids | 89 (7 %) | 37 (21 %) | 3.1 (CI 2–4.8) | 2.7(CI 1.7–4.3) |
| Injection therapy | 680 (58 %) | 134 (75 %) | 1.8 (CI 1.3–2.5) | 2 (CI 1.4–2.9) |
| Electrotherapy | 191 (16 %) | 41 (23 %) | 1.5 (CI 1.1–2.2) | 1.5 (CI 0.9–2.3) |
| TENS*** | 89 (8 %) | 35 (20 %) | 3 (CI 2–4.7) | 2.5 (CI 1.6–3.9) |
| Psychotherapy | 75 (6 %) | 20 (11%) | 1.9 (CI 1.1–3.2) | 1.3 (CI 0.8–2.4) |
| Back school | 105 (9 %) | 22 (12 %) | 1.5 (CI 0.9–2.4) | 1.3 (CI 0.8–2.2) |
| Hospital admission | 66 (6 %) | 20 (11 %) | 2.1 (CI 1.3–3) | 1.9 (CI 1–3.5) |
Table legend text
* OR (= odds ratio) of a health care service utilisation in relation to acupuncture adjusted for gender, age group, pain chronicity, functional capacity, depression and radiation of pain below the knee
** Only working patients
*** Some Patients received opioid and non opioid-medication
**** TENS: transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation
CI: 95 % confidence intervals