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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the total sample of patients and those on sick leave

From: Fear avoidance beliefs as a predictor for long-term sick leave, disability and pain in patients with chronic low back pain

Variable

Total sample (n = 559)

Number of responders

Subgroup on sick leave at baseline (n = 275)

Number of Responders

Sex, female, n (%)

263 (47.05)

559

114 (41.45)

275

Age, years, mean (SD)

38.90 (10.42)

559

38.68 (10.75)

275

Body Mass Index, mean (SD)

25.53 (4.47)

543

25.05 (4.63)

267

Education after primary school, n (%)

 

548

 

268

 <2 years

123 (22.45)

 

83 (30.97)

 

 2–4 years

370 (67.52)

 

167 (62.31)

 

 >4 years

32 (5.84)

 

6 (2.24)

 

 Other

23 (4.20)

 

12 (4.48)

 

Current smoker, no, n (%)

299 (54.07)

553

123 (45.56)

270

Alcohol, ≤7 units/week, n (%)

412 (76.40)

540

202 (75.94)

266

Physical activity level leisure, n (%)

 

547

 

268

 Little-some

424 (77.51)

 

225 (83.96)

 

 Moderate-high

123 (22.49)

 

43 (16.04)

 

Sick leave, yes, n (%)

275 (49.82)

552

275 (100)

268

Duration of sick leave, weeks, mean (SD)

12.45 (15.81)

261

12.47 (15.87)

258

Employment, no, n (%)

127 (23.09)

550

97 (35.93)

270

Compensation case, yes, n (%)

87 (16.35)

532

52 (20.00)

260

Physical job demands, n (%)

 

542

 

263

 None

163 (30.07)

 

61(23.19)

 

 Little

78 (14.39)

 

36 (13.69)

 

 Some

198 (36.53)

 

97 (36.88)

 

 Heavy

103 (19.00)

 

69 (26.34)

 

Physical health, 0–100, mean (SD)

50.74 (8.45)

495

49.11 (8.03)

237

Mental health, 0–100, mean (SD)

49.92 (10.32)

495

47.91 (10.26)

237

Depression, 0–4, mean (SD)

1.10 (0.84)

544

1.23 (0.86)

267

Anxiety, 0–4, mean (SD)

0.68 (0.66)

536

0.76 (0.67)

263

Duration of LBPa, <12 months, n (%)

273 (51.41)

531

148 (56.27)

263

Pain intensityb, 0–30, mean (SD)

17.66 (5.66)

559

18.30 (5.62)

271

Age at first episode of LBPb, years, mean (SD)

27.79 (11.74)

542

28.87 (11.79)

261

Family history of LBPa, yes, n (%)

234 (42.70)

548

118 (45.70)

270

Disability, 0–23, mean (SD)

13.75 (4.94)

559

14.62 (4.64)

275

FAB workc, 0–42, mean (SD)

24.31 (11.34)

514

29.55 (9.63)

245

FAB physical activityd, 0–24, mean (SD)

15.46 (5.34)

522

16.41 (3.33)

249

Group, intervention, n (%)

298 (53.31)

559

150 (54.55)

275

  1. SD standard deviation
  2. aLow back pain
  3. bThe back pain questionnaire included 3 separate 11-point numeric rating scales (0–30) comprising the following items: pain at the moment, the worst pain within the past 2 weeks, and the average level of pain within the last 2 weeks. These summed to a total score ranging from 0 points (no back pain at all) to 30 points (worst possible back pain)
  4. cFear avoidance beliefs about work
  5. dFear avoidance beliefs about physical activity