Table 1 Demographic and work characteristics of the study participants (n = 1361)
From: Physical therapy for patients with low back pain in Germany: a survey of current practice
Characteristic | n (%) |
|---|---|
Age in years, mean (SD) range | 41 (11) 20-73 (n = 1330) |
Gender | |
Female | 839 (62) |
Male | 514 (38) |
Other | 3 (<1) |
Missing | 5 (<1) |
Highest professional degree | |
Diploma (vocational school) | 1010 (74) |
Bachelor/diploma (university) | 246 (18) |
Master | 91 (7) |
Doctorate | 6 (<1) |
Missing | 8 (<1) |
Work settinga | |
Private practice | 1191 (88) |
Hospital | 109 (8) |
Rehabilitation clinic | 71 (5) |
Other | 80 (6) |
Missing | 5 (<1) |
Size of the city/municipality of employment | |
Rural area (< 5000 inhabitants) | 174 (13) |
Small town (5000 – 20,000 inhabitants) | 357 (26) |
Mid-sized town (20,000 – 100,000 inhabitants) | 338 (25) |
Large town (> 100,000 inhabitants) | 481 (35) |
Missing | 11 (1) |
Number of newly admitted patients with LBP per week, median (25th-75th percentile) range | 2 (2-10) 0-20 (n = 1195) |
Employment situation | |
Employee/worker | 792 (58) |
Permanent employment | 752 (95) |
Fixed-term employment | 38 (5) |
Missing | 2 (<1) |
No. of colleagues, median (25th-75th percentile) range | 7 (4-11) 0-100 (n = 778) |
Self-employment | 473 (35) |
No. of employees, median (25th-75th percentile) range | 3 (1-6) 0-60 (n = 441) |
Freelancer | 61 (5) |
Missing | 35 (3) |
Work experience in years, mean (SD) range | 16 (10) 1-45 (n = 1338) |
Number of working hours per week, median (25th-75th percentile) range | 38 (30-40) 5-60 (n = 1310) |
Further qualification relevant for LBPa | |
Manual therapy | 964 (71) |
Orthopedic manual therapy | 125 (9) |
Healing practitioner | 253 (19) |
Osteopathy | 191 (14) |
Back school | 461 (34) |
Pain management physiotherapy | 138 (10) |
Other | 545 (40) |
None | 158 (12) |
Missing | 17 (1) |
Having inter-professional communication | |
Yes | 637 (47) |
No | 680 (50) |
Missing | 44 (3) |