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Table 1 Definition of the three outcome variables.

From: Analyzing musculoskeletal neck pain, measured as present pain and periods of pain, with three different regression models: a cohort study

Outcome variable

Definition

Possible values

Pain at present

"Do you at present have pain in the upper part of your back/neck?"

Y = 1 if the participants answered yes to the question

Y = 0 otherwise

0, 1

A period of pain

"Have you, during the last year, had a period of pain lasting more than 7 days in the upper part of your back/neck?"

Y = 1 if the participants answered yes to the question

Y = 0 otherwise

0, 1

Number of years with pain

Y = sum of 'a period of pain' over three years (baseline, one-year and two-year follow-ups)

0, 1, 2, 3