Table 1.

Population surveys: demographic details, back pain history, awareness of campaign, and self reported change in attitudes according to state (Victoria, New South Wales) and survey (1–August 1997, 2–August 1999, 3–February 2000). Figures are percentages unless stated otherwise

	Victoria				New South Wales
	1	2	3		1	2	3
Response rate	55.3	43.7	44.2		42.8	38.1	35.2
No of completed interviews	1185	590	592		1185	590	588
Residence in metropolitan area	72.2	75.1	74.8		72.2	75.1	75.0
Men (%)	50	48	50		50	52	50
Age (mean)	39.7	40.2	39.5		39.1	40.9	39.8
Born in Australia	78.0	78.8	76.7		74.3	71.4	73.3
Education level:
Secondary not completed	26.5	22.5	20.3		17.0	16.1	13.4
Completed secondary	26.5	26.6	28.6		31.5	32.0	30.2
Tertiary qualification	46.6	50.2	50.3		51.2	51.7	55.1
Annual household income:
⩽$40 000 (£14 705)	37.3	33.1	28.2		33.5	23.7	21.8
$40 001-$80 000 (£14 706-£36 363)	35.7	28.6	31.9		31.4	32.4	33.5
>$80 000 (£36 364)	8.9	14.8	13.9		15.6	18.1	17.4
Did not answer	18.1	23.6	26.0		19.5	25.8	27.4
Self employed	10.5	11.4	11.7		12.3	12.7	10.2
Type of work:
Heavy manual work	20.6	20.3	16.6		18.2	18.0	14.3
Some manual work	74.2	73.2	71.5		75.6	73.2	75.7
No manual work	5.2	6.4	12.0		6.2	12.0	10.0
Ever had back pain	74.5	80.3	71.1		74.5	79.7	70.8
Back pain in past year	54.0	58.3	52.0		54.4	53.7	46.6
Back pain in past week	27.3	31.5	22.5		27.9	27.8	23.3
Seen back pain advertising in past year*	47.1	73.9	85.5		51.5	48.5	48.0
Changed attitudes, beliefs as a result*	23.1	38.8	48.0		22.1	21.0	22.7

^*Significant differences between surveys in Victoria, P<0.001.