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Table 4 Association between beliefs about back pain and self-reported low back disability

From: Negative beliefs about low back pain are associated with high pain intensity and high level disability in community-based women

Back Beliefs Questionnaire statements

Participants with negative beliefs about back pain* n (%)

Univariable analysis

(Chi-square)

 

No disability

(n = 398)

Low disability

(n = 71)

High disability

(n = 37)

 

There is no real treatment for back trouble

33 (8.3)

9 (12.7)

7 (18.9)

0.07

Back trouble will eventually stop you from working

46 (11.6)

16 (22.5)

19 (51.4)

<0.0001

Back trouble means periods of pain for the rest of one's life

104 (26.1)

21 (29.6)

29 (78.4)

<0.0001

Back trouble makes everything in life worse

123 (30.9)

24 (33.8)

17 (45.9)

0.2

Back trouble may mean you end up in a wheelchair

42 (10.6)

8 (11.3)

8 (21.6)

0.1

Back trouble means long periods of time off from work

37 (9.3)

4 (5.6)

8 (21.6)

0.02

Once you have had back trouble there is always a weakness

194 (48.7)

34 (47.9)

24 (64.9)

0.2

Back trouble must be rested

68 (17.1)

12 (16.9)

11 (29.7)

0.2

Later in life back trouble gets progressively worse

128 (32.2)

30 (42.3)

22 (59.5)

0.002

Total score (mean, SD)

31.3 (5.7)

30.2 (6.3)

24.8 (5.7)

<0.0001

  1. * Selected agree or completely agree, which is a score of 4 or 5 respectively.