Table 1. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of patients.
| Patients assessed at follow-up N = 2337 | Intervention group N = 1135 | Control Group N = 1202 | Lost to follow-up N = 412 | |
| Age (m±SD), years | 45±12 | 45±12 | 44±12 | 43±12 |
| Sex (M) | 1321 (57%) | 628 (56%) | 693 (58%) | 237 (57%) |
| Back pain duration (median (interquartile range), days | 3 (5) | 3 (4) | 4 (5) | 3 (6) |
| Physical demand of work (0–10) (m±SD) | 5.7±2.5 | 5.7±2.5 | 5.7±2.5 | 5.5±2.6 |
| Education level | ||||
| No full-time education | 51 (2%) | 27 (2%) | 24 (2%) | 7 (2%) |
| Primary school | 656 (28%) | 294 (26%) | 362 (30%) | 114 (28%) |
| High school | 1075 (46%) | 528 (47%) | 547 (46%) | 207 (50%) |
| Post graduate | 552 (24%) | 284 (25%) | 268 (22%) | 86 (20%) |
| Back pain in parents | 1242 (54%) | 593 (53%) | 649 (55%) | 198 (49%) |
| Work-related back pain | 193 (8%) | 95 (8%) | 98 (8%) | 37 (9%) |
| Sports activities | ||||
| None | 1061 (45%) | 502 (45%) | 559 (47%) | 199 (48%) |
| Occasional | 830 (36%) | 411 (36%) | 419 (35%) | 133 (32%) |
| Usual | 414 (18%) | 207 (18%) | 207 (17%) | 76 (18%) |
| Competition | 21 (1%) | 10 (1%) | 11 (1%) | 4 (2%) |
| Medications * | ||||
| Analgesics (yes) | 1903 (81%) | 929 (82%) | 974 (81%) | 322 (78%) |
| NSAIDs (yes) | 611 (26%) | 286 (25%) | 325 (27%) | 102 (25%) |
| Muscle-relaxants (yes) | 434 (19%) | 196 (17%) | 238 (20%) | 87 (21%) |
| Pain level (m±SD) | 6.8±1.5 | 6.7±1.5 | 6.8±1.5 | 6.7±1.5 |
| Pain intensity | ||||
| None/weak | 49 (2%) | 24 (2%) | 25 (2%) | 11 (5%) |
| Moderate | 485 (21%) | 229 (20%) | 256 (21%) | 85 (21%) |
| Severe | 1598 (69%) | 777 (70%) | 821 (69%) | 276 (68%) |
| Extremely severe | 181 (8%) | 90 (8%) | 91 (8%) | 24 (6%) |
| Handicap level ** | ||||
| None/weak | 78 (3%) | 35 (3%) | 43 (4%) | 14 (3%) |
| Moderate | 704 (30%) | 328 (28%) | 376 (31%) | 131 (32%) |
| Severe | 1352 (59%) | 671 (60%) | 681 (57%) | 236 (59%) |
| Extremely severe | 178 (8%) | 85 (8%) | 93 (8%) | 23 (6%) |
| LBP beliefs | ||||
| FABQ Phys (0–24) (m±SD) | 16.9±5.0 | 16.7±5.0 | 17.1±4.9 | 16.2±5.0 |
| FABQ Work (0–42) (m±SD) | 19.7±10.9 | 19.7±11.1 | 19.7±10.6 | 18.8±10.8 |
| Disability | ||||
| Quebec (0–100) (m±SD) | 55.0±17.2 | 55.3±16.9 | 54.7±17.6 | 54.6±17.6 |
Values are number of patients (percentages)
*
for the last week
**
for activities of daily living
NSAID = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; FABQ = Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire