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Table 3 Association between beliefs about back pain and self-reported low back pain intensity

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 pain

(n = 140)

Low pain intensity

(n = 284)

High pain intensity

(n = 82)

 

There is no real treatment for back trouble

12 (8.6)

24 (8.5)

13 (15.9)

0.1

Back trouble will eventually stop you from working

22 (15.7)

36 (12.7)

23 (28.0)

0.004

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

28 (20.0)

84 (29.6)

42 (51.2)

<0.0001

Back trouble makes everything in life worse

56 (40.0)

80 (28.2)

28 (34.1)

0.047

Back trouble may mean you end up in a wheelchair

22 (15.7)

24 (8.5)

12 (14.6)

0.05

Back trouble means long periods of time off from work

23 (16.4)

18 (6.3)

8 (9.8)

0.004

Once you have had back trouble there is always a weakness

64 (45.7)

143 (50.4)

45 (54.9)

0.4

Back trouble must be rested

27 (19.3)

48 (16.9)

16 (19.5)

0.8

Later in life back trouble gets progressively worse

42 (30.0)

96 (33.8)

42 (51.2)

0.004

Total score (mean, SD)

30.2 (6.3)

31.5 (5.8)

28.5 (5.7)

0.051

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