title: Characteristics of patients with acute low back pain presenting to primary care in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to provide a comprehensive profile of a representative sample of patients with acute low back pain drawn from the primary care setting. A secondary aim was to determine whether patient characteristics are associated with pain intensity or disability at the initial consultation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1172 consecutive patients with acute low back pain presenting to clinics of primary care practitioners (general practitioners, physiotherapists, and chiropractors) in Australia were recruited. Pain intensity and level of disability were measured at the first consultation, and a range of other variables were measured to describe the patient's characteristics. The characteristics were then grouped into 7 distinct factors: demographic, social, cultural, general health, psychologic, past low back pain history, and current low back pain history. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to determine each factor's independent relationship with pain intensity and disability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients reported having had a previous episode of low back pain (75.7%), and that the current episode was of sudden onset (76.7%). Only a small proportion (14.3%) had compensable back pain. Pain intensity and disability were associated with each other (P<0.01), current low back pain history (P<0.01), and psychologic (P<0.01) characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a representative sample of acute low back pain patients in primary care, we found that the profile included only a small proportion of patients with compensable low back pain. Those without compensation were more likely to remain at work despite low back pain. Psychologic and other patient characteristics were associated with pain intensity and level of disability at the initial consultation.
authors.affiliation: The George Institute of International Health, the University of Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Henschke
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Refshauge
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bleasel
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: York
authors.forename: Anurina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: McAuley
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004651:Employment; D005006:Ethnicity; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018582:Sick Leave; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires