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. 2007 Aug 8;2(8):e706. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000706

Table 3. Follow-up assessment at 3 months.

Whole sample N = 2337 Intervention group N = 1135 Control group N = 1202 Percentage or mean difference (95% CI) P value* (Chi-square or t-test) P value** (adjusted for cluster effect)
Persistent back pain 289 (12.4%) 119 (10.5%) 170 (14.1%) −3.6 (−6.3; −1.0) 0.0072 0.0131
Visit to spine specialist 680 (29.4%) 305 (27.2%) 375 (31.5%) −4.3 (−8.0 ; −0.5) 0.0253 0.0566
Spine imaging
Plain radiography 676 (29.2%) 327 (29.1%) 349 (29.2%) −0.1 (−3.8 ; 3.6) 0.9428 0.8099
Computed tomography 194 (8.4%) 89 (7.9%) 105 (8.8%) −0.9 (−3.1 ; 1.4) 0.4469 0.4379
Magnetic resonance imaging 45 (1.9%) 24 (2.1%) 21 (1.8%) 0.3 (−0.7 ; 1.5) 0.5114 0.6886
Sick leave
Yes 1037 (44.9%) 503 (45.0%) 534 (44.8%) 0.2 (−4.9 ; 4.3) 0.9250 0.9132
Sick leave duration (m±SD) 6.5±14.4 6.0±12.9 6.9±15.7 −0.9 (−2.0 ; 0.4) 0.1592 0.2847
Analgesic intake 1964 (84.0%) 936 (82.5%) 1028 (85.5%) −3.0 (−6.0 ; −0.1) 0.0437
NSAID intake 1008 (43.1%) 447 (39.4%) 561 (46.7%) −7.3 (−11.3 ; −3.3) 0.0004 0.0103
Muscle-relaxant intake 864 (37.0%) 374 (32.9%) 490 (40.8%) −7.9 (−11.7 ; −3.9) <0.0001 0.0176
Information about Physical activities 0.0003 0.0020
Very satisfied 1699 (73.7%) 868 (77.4%) 831 (70.3%) 7.1 (3.5 ; 10.7)
Rather satisfied 437 (19.0%) 194 (17.3%) 243 (20.5%) −3.6 (−6.4 ; −0.1)
Rather unsatisfied 152 (6.6%) 55 (4.9%) 97 (8.2%) −3.2 (−5.3 ; −1.3)
Unsatisfied 17 (0.7%) 5 (0.4%) 12 (1.0%) −0.6 (−1.3 ; 0.1)
When to consult a physician 0.0010 0.0052
Very satisfied 1428 (62.0%) 739 (66.0%) 689 (58.2%) 7.8 (3.8 ; 11.8)
Rather satisfied 632 (27.5%) 281 (25.1%) 351 (29.7%) −4.6 (−8.2 ; −1.0)
Rather unsatisfied 215 (9.3%) 86 (7.7%) 129 (10.9%) −3.2 (−5.6 ; −0.8)
Unsatisfied 27 (1.2%) 13 (1.3%) 14 (1.2%) 0.1 (−0.9 ; 0.9 )
How to prevent a new episode of back pain 0.0033 0.0243
Very satisfied 1290 (56.0%) 660 (58.8%) 630 (53.3%) 5.5 (1.5 ; 9.6)
Rather satisfied 750 (32.6%) 359 (32.0%) 391 (33.1%) −1.1 (−4.9 ; 2.7)
Rather unsatisfied 245 (10.6%) 97 (8.7%) 148 (12.5%) −3.8 (−6.4 ; −1.4)
Unsatisfied 19 (0.8%) 6 (0.5%) 13 (1.1%) −0.6 (−1.3 ; 0.2)
Medication intake 0.7090 0.9901
Very satisfied 1531 (66.4%) 743 (66.3%) 788 (66.6%) −0.3 (−4.2 ; 3.5)
Rather satisfied 622 (27.0%) 309 (27.5%) 313 (26.5%) 1.0 (−2.5 ; 4.7)
Rather unsatisfied 142 (6.2%) 66 (5.9%) 76 (6.4%) −0.5 (−2.5 ; 1.4)
Unsatisfied 9 (0.4%) 3 (0.3%) 6 (0.5%) −0.2 (−0.8 ; 0.3)

Values are numbers (%); NSAID = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

*

P value when computing absolute difference

**

P value when taking into account the cluster effect