Table 1.
Participants’ characteristics (N = 75)
| Characteristic | N(%) |
|---|---|
| Age | 29–85 years (median 62 years) |
|
| |
| Females | 48 (64) |
|
| |
| Location | |
| Hampshire | 55 (73) |
| Dorset | 8 (11) |
| Wiltshire | 6 (8) |
| Isle of Wight | 6 (8) |
|
| |
| Recruitment source | |
| Family doctor | 66 (88) |
| CAM practitioner | 5 (7) |
| Chronic pain patient support group | 4 (5) |
|
| |
| Pain duration | |
| Persistent LBP (6wks–12 months) | 16 (21) |
| Chronic/recurrent LBP (12 months–3 years) | 9 (12) |
| Chronic/recurrent LBP (>3years) | 50 (67) |
|
| |
| Treatments experienced | |
| Self-management advice | 10 (13) |
| Pain medication | 67 (89) |
| Manual therapy | 63 (84) |
| Exercise | 46 (61) |
| Acupuncture | 18 (24) |
| Psychological and physical programme | 6 (8) |
| Referral for spinal fusion | 5 (7) |
CAM = complementary and alternative medicine. LBP = low back pain.