Participant Characteristics at Registry Enrollment
| Characteristic | Overall Sample (N = 1,352) | Long-Term Medical Care Subgroup (n = 355) |
|---|---|---|
| Age y, mean (SD) | 53.3 (13.1) | 56.3 (11.8) |
| Gender, No. (%) | ||
| Female | 1,009 (74.6) | 255 (71.8) |
| Male | 343 (25.4) | 100 (28.2) |
| Race, No. (%) | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 19 (1.4) | 5 (1.4) |
| Asian | 20 (1.5) | 4 (1.1) |
| Black | 232 (17.2) | 45 (12.7) |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 4 (0.3) | 1 (0.3) |
| White | 1,077 (79.7) | 300 (84.5) |
| Medical comorbidities, No. (%) | ||
| Herniated disc | 536 (39.6) | 163 (45.9) |
| Sciatica | 676 (50.0) | 204 (57.5) |
| Osteoarthritis | 622 (46.0) | 189 (53.2) |
| Osteoporosis | 189 (14.0) | 59 (16.6) |
| Hypertension | 591 (43.7) | 183 (51.5) |
| Heart disease | 149 (11.0) | 50 (14.1) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 261 (19.3) | 75 (21.1) |
| Asthma | 359 (26.6) | 96 (27.0) |
| Depression | 778 (57.5) | 208 (58.6) |
| Process for delivering medical care for chronic low back pain, mean (SD) | ||
| Physician communication (overall CBQ score) | 66.3 (22.4) | 71.1 (22.3) |
| Physician empathy (overall CARE score) | 70.9 (29.1) | 74.3 (29.4) |
| Current physician prescribing of opioids for low back pain, No. (%) | ||
| Yes | 445 (32.9) | 135 (38.0) |
| No | 907 (67.1) | 220 (62.0) |
| Outcomes of medical care for chronic low back pain, mean (SD) | ||
| Pain intensity (NRS score) | 6.1 (1.8) | 6.0 (1.9) |
| Back-related disability (RMDQ score) | 14.5 (5.7) | 14.6 (5.7) |
| Health-related quality-of-life deficits (SPADE cluster score) | 58.0 (6.9) | 58.0 (7.2) |
| Patient satisfaction with medical care for chronic low back pain (PSQ-18 score) | 62.6 (28.1) | 65.1 (28.5) |
CARE = Consultation and Relational Empathy measure; CBQ = Communication Behavior Questionnaire; NRS = numerical rating scale for low back pain intensity; PSQ-18 = Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short-Form (18 items); RMDQ = Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire; SPADE = sleep disturbance, pain interference with activities, anxiety, depression, low energy or fatigue.
Note: Higher scores represent better physician communication, greater physician empathy, and greater patient satisfaction on the CBQ, CARE, and PSQ-18, respectively, whereas higher scores represent worse outcomes on the NRS for pain intensity, RMDQ for back-related disability, and SPADE cluster for health-related quality-of-life deficits.