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. 2008 Nov 4;9:148. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-9-148

Table 3.

Association between beliefs about back pain and self-reported low back pain intensity

Back Beliefs Questionnaire Statements Participants with negative beliefs about back pain* n (%) Univariable analysis
(Chi-square)
No pain
(n = 140)
Low pain intensity
(n = 284)
High pain intensity
(n = 82)

There is no real treatment for back trouble 12 (8.6) 24 (8.5) 13 (15.9) 0.1
Back trouble will eventually stop you from working 22 (15.7) 36 (12.7) 23 (28.0) 0.004
Back trouble means periods of pain for the rest of one's life 28 (20.0) 84 (29.6) 42 (51.2) <0.0001
Back trouble makes everything in life worse 56 (40.0) 80 (28.2) 28 (34.1) 0.047
Back trouble may mean you end up in a wheelchair 22 (15.7) 24 (8.5) 12 (14.6) 0.05
Back trouble means long periods of time off from work 23 (16.4) 18 (6.3) 8 (9.8) 0.004
Once you have had back trouble there is always a weakness 64 (45.7) 143 (50.4) 45 (54.9) 0.4
Back trouble must be rested 27 (19.3) 48 (16.9) 16 (19.5) 0.8
Later in life back trouble gets progressively worse 42 (30.0) 96 (33.8) 42 (51.2) 0.004
Total score (mean, SD) 30.2 (6.3) 31.5 (5.8) 28.5 (5.7) 0.051

* Selected agree or completely agree, which is a score of 4 or 5 respectively