Baseline characteristics of the study sample (n=907) using factors recommended by the working groups
| *Mean (SD). | |||
| †Missing was maintained as a separate category for household income only, because of the large number of missing responses. | |||
| ‡“Pain radiates below knee” was measured only for workers with back disorders. | |||
| §“Travelling pain” was measured only for workers with back or upper extremity disorders. | |||
| ¶Respondents were asked if they thought filing a workers’ compensation claim would affect their job. | |||
| **Respondents were asked whether their workplace had made any offers of special arrangements to help them return to work. | |||
| Age | 38.6 (10.9)* | Frequency of pain | |
| Sex | Constant | 536 (59%) | |
| Male | 444 (49%) | Comes/goes | 371 (41%) |
| Female | 463 (51%) | Recurrence | |
| Marital Status | Yes | 221 (24%) | |
| Single | 192 (21%) | No | 686 (76%) |
| Married | 593 (65%) | Length of time in pain since onset | |
| Widowed/divorced | 122 (13%) | >3 weeks | 336 (37%) |
| Household income | ⩽3 weeks | 571 (63%) | |
| <$20K Cdn | 97 (11%) | Comorbidity: other serious conditions | |
| $20K–$40K | 312 (34%) | Yes | 104 (11%) |
| $40K–$60K | 196 (22%) | No | 803 (89%) |
| >$60K | 127 (14%) | Comorbidity: surgery, other conditions | |
| Missing† | 175 (19%) | Yes | 515 (57%) |
| Facility with spoken English | No | 392 (43%) | |
| Very good | 653 (72%) | Comorbidity: hospitalised, other condition | |
| Good | 196 (22%) | Yes | 556 (61%) |
| Fair | 45 (5%) | No | 351 (39%) |
| Poor | 11 (1%) | Supervisor’s reaction | |
| Very poor | 2 (0.2%) | Positive | 673 (74%) |
| Part of body | Negative | 234 (26%) | |
| Back | 532 (59%) | Filing claim affect job¶ | |
| Upper limb | 243 (27%) | Yes | 85 (9%) |
| Lower limb | 132 (15%) | Don’t know | 150 (17%) |
| Pain radiates below knee‡ | No | 672 (74%) | |
| Yes | 131 (25%) | Workplace offers** | |
| No | 401 (75%) | Yes | 254 (28%) |
| Travelling pain§ | No | 653 (72%) | |
| Yes | 469 (61%) | ||
| No | 306 (39%) | ||