Table 4

Process of Care and Clinical Outcomes at 6-Month Follow-up by Risk Group

	Low Risk			Medium Risk			High Risk

Outcome	Phase 1 (n = 136)	Phase 3 (n = 214)	P Value^a	Phase 1 (n = 151)	Phase 3 (n = 232)	P Value^a	Phase 1 (n = 81)	Phase 3 (n = 108)	P Value^a
Process of care outcomes
Reconsulted physician, No. (%)	19 (18)	33 (22)	.43	39 (31)	74 (41)	.056	30 (42)	52 (58)	.03
Prescribed medications, No. (%)
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs	46 (43)	43 (28)	.01	61 (48)	71 (39)	.15	29 (40)	45 (51)	.19
Antidepressants	2 (2)	8 (5)	.16	19 (15)	18 (10)	.20	10 (14)	16 (18)	.48
Nonopioids	11 (10)	11 (7)	.39	30 (23)	30 (17)	.14	25 (35)	12 (13)	.001
Opioids	19 (18)	47 (31)	.02	44 (34)	95 (53)	.001	25 (35)	59 (66)	<.001
Strong opioids	12 (11)	25 (16)	.24	37 (29)	49 (27)	.75	24 (33)	40 (45)	.13
Weak opioids	7 (7)	22 (14)	.046	7 (5)	46 (26)	<.001	1 (1)	19 (21)	<.001
Neuromodulators/antiepileptics	0 (0)	1 (1)	1.00	10 (8)	4 (2)	.02	8 (11)	15 (17)	.30
Issued sickness certification, No. (%)	10 (9)	11 (7)	.54	21 (16)	16 (9)	.046	14 (20)	13 (15)	.41
Blood test ordered, No. (%)	33 (31)	50 (33)	.73	46 (36)	65 (36)	.98	31 (43)	39 (44)	.92
MRI scan/radiograph ordered, No. (%)	12 (11)	10 (7)	.19	20 (16)	29 (16)	.91	15 (21)	16 (18)	.65
Clinical outcomes
Disability: change in RMDQ score	0.9 (5.8)	0.9 (4.5)	.87	3.4 (6.3)	3.5 (6.0)	.21	2.3 (5.8)	4.8 (6.8)	.004
Achieved MCID,^b No. (%)	67 (49)	103 (48)	.68	66 (44)	113 (49)	.17	22 (27)	45 (42)	.06
Pain intensity: change in NRS rating	1.0 (2.9)	0.8 (3.0)	.83	2.3 (3.0)	2.4 (3.1)	.52	1.9 (2.6)	2.9 (3.3)	.02
Physical function: change in SF-12 PCS score	−2.2 (15.2)	−2.6 (16.5)	.98	−5.7 (13.9)	−4.0 (11.9)	.79	−2.3 (13.1)	−6.1 (14.8)	.051
Catastophizing: change in PCS-CAT score	0.5 (7.8)	0.5 (6.4)	.86	1.2 (7.3)	1.1 (10.0)	.83	4.9 (8.6)	6.0 (11.7)	.36
Fear avoidance: change in TSK score	2.8 (9.2)	3.1 (8.4)	.42	1.7 (7.6)	3.3 (7.5)	.02	3.3 (7.1)	5.3 (12.3)	.09
Anxiety: change in HADS subscale score	0.7 (4.1)	0.6 (4.2)	.82	0.8 (3.7)	1.0 (4.0)	.09	2.1 (5.5)	2.7 (4.3)	.22
Depression: change in HADS subscale score	0.4 (4.1)	0.6 (3.8)	.90	1.4 (3.3)	1.4 (3.3)	.45	1.2 (4.3)	2.7 (3.6)	.007
Mental health: change in SF-12 MCS score	−1.1 (13.4)	−0.2 (14.4)	.61	−1.2 (13.8)	−2.0 (12.8)	.23	−4.8 (17.4)	−6.4 (11.7)	.63
Pain self-efficacy: change in PSEQ score	−4.9 (13.7)	−3.1 (13.4)	.31	−9.6 (16.8)	−8.4 (15.2)	.72	−8.4 (12.5)	−12.6 (17.0)	.07
Global change since baseline: much improved, No. (%)	67 (49)	116 (54)	.48	53 (35)	88 (38)	.11	19 (24)	41 (38)	.09
Risk group: low risk, No. (%)	117 (86)	197 (92)	.50	97 (64)	169 (73)	.30	35 (43)	57 (53)	.02
Absenteeism since baseline^c	0.5 (2.3)	0.9 (3.4)	.50	11.3 (26.3)	5.3 (18.7)	.005	15.5 (35.5)	9.4 (16.8)	.41
Presenteeism^c	1.5 (2.0)	1.2 (1.5)	.32	2.3 (2.3)	2.3 (2.8)	.87	3.7 (3.1)	3.2 (2.8)	.62
Satisfied with care received^d	59 (75)	81 (76)	.87	77 (75)	99 (70)	.39	25 (54)	35 (59)	.61
Satisfied with results of care^d	48 (62)	81 (76)	.03	63 (64)	93 (68)	.50	22 (47)	35 (61)	.14

Notes: Values are mean (SD) unless otherwise noted. See Table 3 for abbreviations.
↵a P values were derived by χ² test for the process outcomes, and by regression analyses for the clinical outcomes (adjusted for age, sex, family physician practice, baseline RMDQ score, duration of pain, and corresponding baseline value—as detailed in Table 3).
↵b Based on an MCID (≥30% reduction in RMDQ score from baseline) and rating of “completely recovered” or “much better” or “better” according to the global change question.
↵c Based on 290 of 547 respondents who reported being currently employed at the 6-month follow-up.
↵d Based on 536 respondents for the care received question and 524 for the results of care question at the 6-month follow-up.