Table 3

Back pain advice and pharmacists' experience of back pain



Number (%)



Statement
Pain*
Agree
Disagree

I often have negative feelings about advising people with back pain+
None
20 (21.5)
73 (78.5)
(n = 328) χ2 = 6.4 df = 2 p = 0.040
Short
27 (13.8)
168 (86.2)

Long
2 (5.0)
38 (95.0)

Total
49 (14.9)
279 (85.1)
I most frequently refer people with back pain to their GP
None
31 (34.1)
60 (65.9)
(n = 321) χ2 = 4.7 df = 2 p = 0.094
Short
46 (24.1)
145 (75.9)

Long
7 (17.9)
32 (82.1)

Total
84 (26.2)
237 (73.8)
Back pain is an important topic where I work
None
23 (25.3)
68 (74.7)
(n = 319) χ2 = 17.8 df = 2 p = 0.000
Short
68 (36.0)
121 (64.0)

Long
25 (64.1)
14 (35.9)

Total
116 (36.4)
203 (63.6)
Where I work people often ask for advice about back pain
None
41 (45.6)
49 (54.4)
(n = 323) χ2 = 8.3 df = 2 p = 0.015
Short
98 (50.8)
95 (49.2)

Long
29 (72.5)
11 (27.5)

Total
168 (52.0)
155 (48.0)
I offer good advice about back pain
None
66 (79.5)
17 (20.5)
(n = 304) χ2 = 5.6 df = 2 p = 0.060
Short
163 (89.1)
20 (10.9)

Long
35 (92.1)
3 (7.9)

Total
264 (86.8)
40 (13.2)
My support staff offer good advice about back pain
None
55 (67.1)
27 (32.9)
(n = 298) χ2 = 4.2 df = 2 p = 0.122
Short
138 (77.1)
41 (22.9)

Long
24 (64.9)
13 (35.1)

Total
217 (72.8)
81 (27.2)

*Personal experience of back pain: none; short term or long-standing.

+Similar to Buchbinder [13]: 'advising people with back pain' replaces 'treating these people'.

Silcock et al. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2007 8:10   doi:10.1186/1471-2474-8-10