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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Apr 1.
Published in final edited form as: Health Serv Res. 2013 Aug 1;49(2):645–665. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12098

Table 1.

Baseline demographic, psychosocial, and injury characteristics of study participants.

Adherence to clinical practice guidelines that advise against early MRI for patients without “red flags” Sig
Non-adherent (N=336) Adherent (N=1434)
Age (at injury) 0.015
 Under 24 yrs 24 (7.1) 166 (11.6)
 25–34 yrs 75 (22.3) 384 (26.8)
 35–44 yrs 117 (34.8) 419 (29.2)
 45–54 yrs 89 (26.5) 319 (22.2)
 Over 55 yrs 31 (9.2) 146 (10.2)
Sex 0.029
 Female 91 (27.1) 477 (33.3)
 Male 245 (72.9) 957 (66.7)
Race/ethnicity 0.060
 Non-Hispanic white 253 (75.3) 976 (68.1)
 Non-Hispanic non-white 33 (9.8) 205 (14.3)
 Hispanic non-white 31 (9.2) 170 (11.9)
 Hispanic white 11 (3.3) 36 (2.5)
Education 0.299
 Less than high school 44 (13.1) 191 (13.3)
 High school diploma/GED 126 (37.5) 476 (33.2)
 Some college 146 (43.5) 636 (44.4)
 College degree 20 (6.0) 130 (9.1)
Household income ($) 0.074
 < 30,000 116 (34.5) 591 (41.2)
 30–45,000 88 (26.2) 351 (24.5)
 45–70,000 88 (26.2) 311 (21.7)
 >70,000 36 (10.7) 126 (8.8)
Marital status 0.132
 Married 177 (52.7) 727 (50.7)
 Living with partner 48 (14.3) 203 (14.2)
 Divorced 73 (21.7) 265 (18.5)
 Other 38 (11.3) 236 (16.5)
Body Mass Index 0.088
 Normal <25 86 (25.6) 444 (31.0)
 Overweight 25–29 133 (39.6) 550 (38.4)
 Obese 30–34 79 (23.5) 283 (19.7)
 Very obese >34 34 (10.1) 119 (8.3)
Health in year before injury 0.485
 Excellent 87 (25.9) 324 (22.6)
 Very good 113 (33.6) 523 (36.5)
 Good 96 (28.6) 435 (30.3)
 Fair/Poor 40 (11.9) 149 (10.4)
Health status at time of interview 0.187
 Excellent 67 (19.9) 282 (19.7)
 Very good 110 (32.7) 521 (36.3)
 Good 110 (32.7) 454 (31.7)
 Fair/poor 47 (14.0) 176 (12.3)
Roland-Morris score (0–24) <0.001
 Low (0–6) 13 (3.9) 409 (28.5)
 Moderate (7–12) 43 (12.8) 331 (23.1)
 High (13–18) 112 (33.3) 400 (27.9)
 Very high (19–24) 168 (50.0) 294 (20.5)
Pain intensity (0–10) <0.001
 Low/no pain (0–3) 35 (10.4) 406 (28.3)
 Mild pain (4–6) 110 (32.7) 563 (39.3)
 Moderate/high pain (7–10) 191 (56.8) 462 (32.2)
Injury severity <0.001
 Mild sprain/strain and/or minor physical exam findings 99 (29.6) 905 (63.5)
 Major sprain/strain evidenced by substantial immobility 72 (21.6) 305 (21.4)
 Evidence of radiculopathy 163 (48.8) 216 (15.1)
SF36 Mental health score <0.001
 2 SD below population mean 82 (24.4) 174 (12.1)
 1–2 SD below population mean 95 (28.3) 285 (19.9)
 1 SD below population mean 93 (27.7) 351 (24.5)
 At or above population mean 66 (19.6) 622 (43.4)
Catastrophizing (0–4) <0.001
 Low (<1) 39 (11.6) 373 (26.0)
 Moderate (1–2.9) 173 (51.5) 781 (54.5)
 High (3–4) 124 (36.9) 280 (19.5)
Work fear-avoidance (0–6) <0.001
 Low (0–2.9) 30 (8.9) 324 (22.6)
 Moderate (3–4.9) 87 (25.9) 486 (33.9)
 High (5–5.9) 133 (39.6) 398 (27.8)
 Very high (6) 86 (25.6) 226 (15.8)
Offered job accommodation for disability <0.001
 Yes 118 (35.1) 689 (48.0)
 No 211 (62.8) 729 (50.8)
1+ previous compensable back claims 0.011
 Yes 82 (24.4) 259 (18.1)
 No 254 (75.6) 1165 (81.2)
Job satisfaction 0.689
 Not at all 15 (4.5) 86 (6.0)
 Not too satisfied 29 (8.6) 128 (8.9)
 Somewhat satisfied 144 (42.9) 593 (41.4)
 Very satisfied 148 (44.0) 623 (43.4)
Industry 0.109
 Trade/transportation 79 (23.5) 355 (24.8)
 Natural resources 10 (3.0) 75 (5.2)
 Construction 69 (20.5) 250 (17.4)
 Manufacturing 36 (10.7) 104 (7.3)
 Management 57 (17.0) 229 (16.0)
 Education/health 45 (13.4) 227 (15.8)
 Hospitality 40 (11.9) 194 (13.5)
Physical demands at work 0.014
 Light 53 (15.8) 296 (20.6)
 Medium 101 (30.1) 460 (32.1)
 Heavy 78 (23.2) 348 (24.3)
 Very heavy 100 (29.8) 324 (22.6)
Type of first medical visit <0.001
 Primary care 164 (48.8) 622 (43.4)
 Occupational medicine 17 (5.1) 39 (2.7)
 Chiropractor 66 (19.6) 474 (33.1)
 Surgeon 11 (3.3) 25 (1.7)
 Emergency room/clinic 71 (21.1) 250 (17.4)
 Other 7 (2.1) 24 (1.7)

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation.

Non-adherent group reflects workers who received an MRI within the first 6 weeks of injury.

Adherent group reflects workers who received an MRI after the first 6 weeks of injury (N=255), or did not receive an MRI at all (N=1179).

Frequency counts do not always sum to total because of missing responses or rounding. Values are N (%) and significance values indicate results from χ2 tests.