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Table 1 Patient characteristics at baseline

From: Effects of weekly pain monitoring on back pain outcomes: a non-randomised controlled study

Patient characteristics at baseline

SMS group

(N = 1,623)

Control group

(N = 1,225)

Age; mean (SD, range)

44.5 (13.6; 18–80)

44.7 (13.8; 18–87)

Sex, female; n (%)

655 (40.4%)

512 (41.8%)

BMI; mean (SD)

26.7 (4.9)

27.0 (5.1)

Employment, yes; n (%)

1302 (82.4%)

985 (81.8%)

Longest education

Higher or further education; n (%)

615 (53.5%)

425 (48.8%)

Vocational education; n (%)

318 (27.7%)

276 (31.7%)

No qualifying education; n (%)

174 (15.1%)

139 (16.0%)

Other education; n (%)

43 (3.7%)

31 (3.6%)

Workload

Very strenuous; n (%)

19 (2.1%)

18 (2.6%)

Strenuous; n (%)

108 (11.9%)

84 (12.1%)

Somewhat strenuous; n (%)

216 (23.8%)

186 (26.9%)

Light; n (%)

281 (30.9%)

225 (32.5%)

Very light; n (%)

285 (31.4%)

179 (25.9%)

Previous episodes with low back pain, yes; n (%)

934 (82.4%)

718 (84.4%)

Previous treatment for low back pain, yes; n (%)

763 (65.7%)

594 (67.4%)

Back pain intensity, NRS (0–10); mean (SD)

6.7 (2.1)

6.7 (2.1)

Episode duration

1–7 days; n (%)

793 (49.4%)

535 (43.8%)

1–4 weeks; n (%)

359 (22.3%)

315 (25.8%)

1–3 months; n (%)

169 (10.5%)

163 (13.4%)

 > 3 months; n (%)

286 (17.8%)

208 (17.0%)

Prognostic index, STarTa

Low; n (%)

657 (42.3%)

513 (43.4%)

Medium; n (%)

558 (35.9%)

409 (34.6%)

High; n (%)

340 (21.9%)

260 (22.0%)

Activity limitation, RMDQ (0–100); mean (SD)b

55.6 (23.8)

54.1 (24.0)

Ability to control pain, NRS (0–10); mean (SD)

5.5 (2.4)

5.5 (2.3)

Recovery expectations, NRS (0–10); mean (SD)

7.4 (3.0)

7.5 (2.9)

  1. NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; RMDQ, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire; STarT,The Keele STarT Back Screening Tool; SD, Standard deviation
  2. aMissings imputed if at least 7 out of 9 STarT items were answered.
  3. bMissings imputed for partly completed RMDQ