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Table 5 Back pain status and SF-36 dimensions of health status by CAM user status (consulted with a CAM practitioner or not)

From: Use of complementary and alternative medicine by mid-age women with back pain: a national cross-sectional survey

SF-36 Dimensions of health status

Did not have back pain

Had back pain - rarely

Had back pain - sometimes

Had back pain - often

 

CAM non-user

CAM user

CAM non-user

CAM user

CAM non-user

CAM user

CAM non-user

CAM user

 

(n = 1,682)

(n = 758)

(n = 1,419)

(n = 842)

(n = 1,950)

(n = 1,774)

(n = 970)

(n = 1,070)

 

mean

mean

mean

mean

mean

mean

mean

mean

General health 2 3 4

78.7

78.8

75.2

78.8

70.4

72.9

54.5

58.2

Physical functioning 3 4

87.2

87.3

85.1

86.7

80.1

82.2

60.2

66.0

Bodily pain 1

82.1

77.8

77.0

76.4

67.2

66.1

43.3

44.9

Role physical 1

87.5

83.5

84.5

82.9

76.3

76.8

47.8

51.4

Role emotional

89.8

87.5

86.8

85.9

82.9

84.8

68.6

71.2

Mental health 1

81.2

78.9

78.5

79.3

75.2

76.3

66.1

68.1

Social functioning

89.3

87.2

87.8

87.5

84.2

84.3

68.2

70.9

Vitality 1 4

69.1

66.6

65.1

65.9

59.2

60.1

43.9

46.6

  1. 1 Statistically significant association for women who did not have back pain (p <.005).
  2. 2 Statistically significant association for women who had back pain, rarely (p <.005).
  3. 3 Statistically significant association for women who had back pain, sometimes (p <.005).
  4. 4 Statistically significant association for women who had back pain, often (p <.005).