Table 5.
Healthcare utilization throughout 1 year of follow-up, across patients with different risk profile according to the StarT Back Screening tool (n=438)*
| Stratified risk profile | |||
| Low (n=289) |
Medium (n=120) |
High (n=29) |
|
| Primary care | |||
| Primary care consultation, N (%) | 205 (76) | 94 (86) | 21 (88) |
| Numbers of consultations, median (IQR)† | 5 (3–11) | 12 (6–19) | 15 (8–22) |
| Medication | |||
| Use of back medication, N (%) | 128 (48) | 77 (71) | 21 (91) |
| Paracetamol | 95 (35) | 68 (63) | 18 (78) |
| NSAID | 88 (33) | 39 (36) | 10 (44) |
| Muscle relaxants | 1 (0.4) | 7 (7) | 3 (13) |
| Sleep medication | 14 (5) | 11 (10) | 8 (35) |
| Cortisone | 4 (2) | 4 (4) | 5 (22) |
| Opioid | 4 (2) | 4 (4) | 2 (9) |
| Examination | |||
| Diagnostic examination, N (%) | 73 (27) | 45 (42) | 12 (50) |
| Blood sample | 14 (5) | 3 (3) | 2 (9) |
| X-ray | 15 (6) | 10 (9) | 5 (22) |
| MRI | 30 (11) | 24 (22) | 6 (26) |
| CT | 3 (1) | 4 (4) | 1 (4) |
| Secondary care | |||
| Back operation, N (%) | 4 (2) | 1 (1) | 2 (11) |
| Hospitalisation, N (%) | 4 (2) | 6 (6) | 2 (9) |
| Rehabilitation stay, N (%) | 0 (0) | 2 (2) | 0 (0) |
Valid percentages are given and have been rounded off.
*Healthcare utilization throughout 1 year of follow-up is calculated on the basis for the three follow-up periods.
†Number of consultations is calculated on the basis of patients who have reported primary care consultations.
NSAID, non-steriodal anti-anflammatory drug.