Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of eligible participants. Figures are numbers (percentages) of patients unless stated otherwise
| Variable | Participants (n=969) |
|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 43.3 (14.4) |
| Male | 527 (54.8) |
| Primary care clinician: | |
| General practitioner | 184 (19.0) |
| Physiotherapist | 755 (77.9) |
| Chiropractor | 30 (3.1) |
| Born in Australia | 680 (70.2) |
| Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander | 8 (0.8) |
| Smoker | 188 (19.4) |
| Exercising regularly | 564 (58.2) |
| Self rated health: | |
| Poor | 3 (0.3) |
| Fair | 63 (6.5) |
| Good | 338 (34.9) |
| Very good | 397 (41.0) |
| Excellent | 168 (17.3) |
| Highest level of education diploma or higher* | 411 (42.4) |
| Details of lower back pain: | |
| Previous episode | 727 (75.0) |
| Previous sick leave | 381 (39.3) |
| Previous surgery | 26 (2.7) |
| Sudden onset | 797 (82.2) |
| Compensation case† | 189 (19.2) |
| Currently taking medication | 399 (41.20) |
| Mean (SD) duration (days) | 4.9 (3.3) |
| Mean (SD) days of forced reduction of usual activities | 3.1 (2.8) |
| Interference with function from lower back pain: | |
| Not at all | 59 (6.1) |
| Little bit | 133 (13.7) |
| Moderate | 215 (22.2) |
| Quite a bit | 373 (38.5) |
| Extreme | 189 (19.5) |
| Leg pain | 199 (20.5) |
| Intensity of lower back pain: | |
| Very mild | 22 (2.1) |
| Mild | 85 (8.8) |
| Moderate | 349 (36.0) |
| Severe | 426 (44.0) |
| Very severe | 87 (8.9) |
| Mean (SD) days off from work or school from lower back pain (n=814) | 1.5 (2.2) |
| Working before injury | 770 (79.5) |
| Changed work status as result (n=770) | 291 (38.0) |
*Post-school education.
†Worker’s compensation and third party motor vehicle insurance cases.