Table 1.
Patient characteristics
| Total number | 96 |
|---|---|
| Sex (male/female) | 37/59 |
| Age, mean ± SD (range) | 55.1 ± 15.2 (21–91) |
| LBP before this episode | |
| Yes | 63 (66%) |
| No | 32 (33%) |
| Missing | 1 (1%) |
| Duration of current episode | |
| 3–6 months | 37 (39%) |
| >6 and <18 months | 26 (27%) |
| >18 months | 27 (28%) |
| Missing | 6 (6%) |
| Normal work | |
| Retired | 30 (31%) |
| No paid work | 6 (6%) |
| On benefits | 10 (11%) |
| Employed | 46 (48%) |
| Unemployed | 2 (2%) |
| Missing | 2 (2%) |
| Length of current sick leave | |
| Not applicable | 18 (19%) |
| Not on sick leave | 38 (40%) |
| <7 weeks | 9 (9%) |
| 7 weeks–3 months | 3 (3%) |
| >3 and <6 months | 3 (3%) |
| >6 and <18 months | 9 (9%) |
| >18 months | 3 (3%) |
| Missing | 13 (14%) |
| Educational level | |
| Obligatory | 6 (6%) |
| Secondary education | 28 (29%) |
| University education | 45 (47%) |
| Higher degree | 16 (17%) |
| Missing | 1 (1%) |
| Type of work | |
| Sedentary | 33 (34%) |
| Physical | 34 (36%) |
| Mixture of sedentary and physical | 27 (28%) |
| Missing | 2 (2%) |