Table 1.

Patient Characteristics (N = 605)

		Mean (SD)
Age		50.5 (12.6)
		N	%
Sex	Female	339	56
Ethnicity	American-Indian	2	<1
	Asian-American	71	12
	African-American	51	8
	Latino-American	39	7
	Caucasian-American	395	65
	Other/Mixed/no answer	47	8
Foreign born		106*	18
Education	Some High School	4	1
	High School	66	11
	Some College	165	27
	College Degree	209	35
	≥ Graduate School	161	26
Combined Household Income in $	≤10,000	2	<1
	10,000 – 24,999	12	2
	25,000 – 49,999	81	13
	50,000 – 74,999	116	20
	75,000 – 99,999	98	16
	100,000 – 149,999	134	22
	≥ 150,000	108	18
	no answer	54	9
Employment Status	Full time	357	59
	Part time	76	13
	Unemployed seeking work	11	2
	No paid work, not seeking	26	4
	Retired	135	22
Lost days from work	0	178	30
	1–2	128	21
	3–30	135	23
	n/a	158	26
Ever on sick leave for prior episodes of LBP		148	24
Days of less than 50% of usual activity mean days (±SD) [median], range 0–10		8 (±7)	[7]
Duration of LBP at baseline interview, mean days (±SD) [median], range 2–30		17 (±8)	[14]
Days in bed since onset of pain	0	269	45
	1–2	124	21
	3–4	113	19
	5–10	71	12
	11–21	22	4

^*mean years in US: 27 [range 1–65]