Life conditions of persons with and without low-back pain

A comparison of life conditions (such as dwelling, health, leisure-time activities, education, occupation, and work characteristics) was made between age- and sex-stratified groups of persons with and without low-back pain (BP). The primary data were collected from a random, geographically standardized 1:1,000 sample of the Swedish population including 2,872 citizens aged 30-59 years. There were no differences with respect to dwelling, height, weight, habits of physical exercise, other non-occupational activities, and frequency of unemployment. In the group of 50-59 year old persons, the males with BP smoked more than those without. In the same age-group of females, and in the younger male groups there were no differences in smoking habits. Physically heavy, monotonous, and repetitive work was more frequent among the subjects with BP. The relative number of highschool-educated was lower among males--in the youngest age group--with BP. The back-healthy persons evaluated their state of health as better and their need of medical care as less than the persons with BP.