Table 2

Characteristics at baseline and OR of physician consultation among individuals with (A) chronic pain or (B) headache

(A) Chronic painOverallPhysician consultationNo physician consultationDFOR (LCL to UCL)P-value
(n=506)(n=57)(n=449)
Characteristicsn (%)n (%)n (%)
Sex
 Male229 (45.3)32 (56.1)197 (43.9)-1-
 Female277 (54.7)25 (43.9)252 (56.1)10.61 (0.35 to 1.06)0.082
Age, years
 <40119 (23.5)10 (17.5)109 (24.3)-1-
 40–59341 (67.4)40 (70.2)301 (67.0)11.45 (0.70 to 3.00)0.318
 ≥6046 (9.1)7 (12.3)39 (8.7)11.96 (0.70 to 5.50)0.203
Type of workstyle
 Day shift, deskwork210 (41.5)21 (36.8)189 (42.1)-1-
 Shift work, deskwork99 (19.6)6 (10.5)93 (20.7)10.58 (0.23 to 1.49)0.257
 Day shift, other than deskwork13 (2.6)3 (5.3)10 (2.2)12.70 (0.69 to 10.59)0.154
 Shift work, other than deskwork184 (36.4)27 (47.4)157 (35.0)11.55 (0.84 to 2.84)0.159
Pain treatment
 Self-stretch or self-massage330 (65.2)30 (52.6)300 (66.8)10.55 (0.32 to 0.96)0.036
 Exercise136 (26.9)11 (19.3)125 (27.8)10.62 (0.31 to 1.24)0.174
 Self-meditation or self-mindfulness9 (1.8)0 (0.0)9 (2.0)---
 Gym77 (15.2)5 (8.8)72 (16.0)10.50 (0.19 to 1.30)0.158
 Massage therapy107 (21.1)9 (15.8)98 (21.8)10.67 (0.32 to 1.42)0.296
 Stretch therapy15 (3.0)1 (1.8)14 (3.1)10.56 (0.07 to 4.30)0.573
 Physical therapy72 (14.2)7 (12.3)65 (14.5)10.83 (0.36 to 1.90)0.655
 OTC drugs97 (19.2)10 (17.5)87 (19.4)10.89 (0.43 to 1.82)0.741
 Nothing52 (10.3)4 (7.0)48 (10.7)10.63 (0.22 to 1.82)0.394
 Others22 (4.3)3 (5.3)19 (4.2)11.26 (0.36 to 4.39)0.719
Smoking status
 No408 (80.6)40 (70.2)368 (82.0)-1-
 Yes51 (10.1)6 (10.5)45 (10.0)11.23 (0.49 to 3.05)0.661
 Missing47 (9.3)11 (19.3)36 (8.0)---
Pain NRS
 1–3 (mild pain)145 (28.7)14 (24.6)131 (29.2)-1-
 4–6 (moderate pain)225 (44.5)29 (50.9)196 (43.7)11.38 (0.71 to 2.72)0.345
 7–10 (severe pain)136 (26.9)14 (24.6)122 (27.2)11.07 (0.49 to 2.34)0.858
Neuropathic pain (S-LANSS score)
 <12487 (96.2)53 (93.0)434 (96.7)-1-
 ≥12 (predominantly neuropathic origin)19 (3.8)4 (7.0)15 (3.3)12.18 (0.70 to 6.82)0.179
Obesity (BMI*, kg/m2)
 <18.5 (underweight)71 (14.0)4 (7.0)67 (14.9)10.50 (0.17 to 1.47)0.211
 18.5–<25 (normal)302 (59.7)32 (56.1)270 (60.1)-1-
 25–<30 (pre-obese)78 (15.4)8 (14.0)70 (15.6)10.96 (0.43 to 2.19)0.931
 30–<35 (obese class I)10 (2.0)1 (1.8)9 (2.0)10.94 (0.12 to 7.64)0.952
 35–<40 (obese class II)3 (0.6)1 (1.8)2 (0.5)14.22 (0.37 to 47.84)0.245
 ≥40 (obese class III)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)---
 Missing42 (8.3)11 (19.3)31 (6.9)---
History of continuous physician consultation for symptoms other than pain within 6 months before program participation
 No249 (49.2)26 (45.6)223 (49.7)-1-
 Yes257 (50.8)31 (54.4)226 (50.3)11.18 (0.68 to 2.05)0.565
(B) HeadacheOverallPhysician consultationNo physician consultationDFOR (LCL to UCL)P-value
(n=352)(n=19)(n=333)
Characteristicsn (%)n (%)n (%)
Sex
 Male111 (31.5)7 (36.8)104 (31.2)-1-
 Female241 (68.5)12 (63.2)229 (68.8)10.78 (0.30 to 2.03)0.609
Age, years
 <40122 (34.7)1 (5.3)121 (36.3)-1-
 40–59220 (62.5)18 (94.7)202 (60.7)110.78 (1.42 to 81.79)0.021
 ≥6010 (2.8)0 (0.0)10 (3.0)---
Type of workstyle
 Day shift, deskwork147 (41.8)9 (47.4)138 (41.4)-1-
 Shift work, deskwork78 (22.2)4 (21.1)74 (22.2)10.83 (0.25 to 2.78)0.761
 Day shift, other than deskwork8 (2.3)0 (0.0)8 (2.4)---
 Shift work, other than deskwork119 (33.8)6 (31.6)113 (33.9)10.81 (0.28 to 2.36)0.705
Pain treatment
 Self-stretch or self-massage161 (45.7)6 (31.6)155 (46.6)10.53 (0.20 to 1.43)0.209
 Exercise40 (11.4)2 (10.5)38 (11.4)10.91 (0.20 to 4.11)0.906
 Self-meditation or self-mindfulness7 (2.0)0 (0.0)7 (2.1)---
 Gym43 (12.2)3 (15.8)40 (12.0)11.37 (0.38 to 4.92)0.626
 Massage therapy74 (21.0)6 (31.6)68 (20.4)11.80 (0.66 to 4.91)0.252
 Stretch therapy8 (2.3)2 (10.5)6 (1.8)16.41 (1.20 to 34.16)0.03
 Physical therapy38 (10.8)3 (15.8)35 (10.5)11.60 (0.44 to 5.75)0.475
 OTC drugs236 (67.0)11 (57.9)225 (67.6)10.66 (0.26 to 1.69)0.386
 Nothing22 (6.3)1 (5.3)21 (6.3)10.83 (0.11 to 6.49)0.855
 Others20 (5.7)1 (5.3)19 (5.7)10.92 (0.12 to 7.25)0.935
Smoking status
 No295 (83.8)17 (89.5)278 (83.5)-1-
 Yes29 (8.2)1 (5.3)28 (8.4)10.58 (0.08 to 4.55)0.608
 Missing28 (8.0)1 (5.3)27 (8.1)---
MIDAS
 0–10 (minimal, mild, or infrequent disability)236 (67.0)10 (52.6)226 (67.9)-1-
 11–20 (moderate disability)59 (16.8)6 (31.6)53 (15.9)12.56 (0.89 to 7.35)0.081
 ≥21 (severe disability)57 (16.2)3 (15.8)54 (16.2)11.26 (0.33 to 4.72)0.736
 Suspected migraine
 Absent177 (50.3)6 (31.6)171 (51.4)-1-
 Presence175 (49.7)13 (68.4)162 (48.7)12.29 (0.85 to 6.16)0.102
Obesity (BMI*, kg/m2)
 <18.5 (underweight)59 (16.8)0 (0.0)59 (17.7)---
 18.5–<25 (normal)212 (60.2)16 (84.2)196 (58.9)-1-
 25–<30 (pre-obese)47 (13.4)2 (10.5)45 (13.5)10.54 (0.12 to 2.45)0.429
 30–<35 (obese class I)7 (2.0)0 (0.0)7 (2.1)---
 35–<40 (obese class II)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)---
 ≥40 (obese class III)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)---
 Missing27 (7.7)1 (5.3)26 (7.8)---
History of continuous physician consultation for symptoms other than pain within 6 months before program participation
 No150 (42.6)3 (15.8)147 (44.1)-1-
 Yes202 (57.4)16 (84.2)186 (55.9)14.22 (1.21 to 14.74)0.024
  • * BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.

  • BMI, body mass index; DF, degree of freedom; LCL, lower control limit; MIDAS, migraine disability assessment test; NRS, numeric rating scale; OR, odds ratio; OTC, over-the-counter; S-LANSS, Self-reported Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs; UCL, upper control limit.