TABLE 1.

Demographic, Work, Clinical, and Health History Characteristics of D-RISC Workers Who Received Early MRI and Those Who Did Not
Early MRI (N = 362)Late/No MRI (N = 1468) P
N (%)N (%)
Demographics
 Age (at injury)0.005
  <24 yr24 (6.6)169 (11.5)
  25–34 yr79 (21.8)387 (26.4)
  35–44 yr124 (34.3)430 (29.3)
  45–54 yr101 (27.9)331 (22.5)
  >55 yr34 (9.4)151 (10.3)
 Sex0.031
  Female99 (27.3)488 (33.2)
  Male263 (72.7)980 (66.8)
 Race0.013
  White284 (78.5)1040 (70.8)
  Nonwhite76 (21.0)412 (28.1)
 Ethnicity0.367
  Non-Hispanic306 (84.5)1202 (81.9)
  Hispanic54 (14.9)249 (17.0)
 Education0.576
  Less than high school45 (12.4)195 (13.3)
  High school diploma/GED133 (36.7)491 (33.4)
  Some college159 (43.9)648 (44.1)
  College degree25 (6.9)133 (9.1)
 Household income ($)0.031
  <30,000123 (34.0)605 (41.2)
  30,000–45,00096 (26.5)362 (24.7)
  45,001–70,00094 (26.0)315 (21.5)
  >70,00041 (11.3)131 (8.9)
 Marital status0.113
  Married192 (53.0)742 (50.5)
  Living with partner52 (14.4)205 (14.0)
  Divorced78 (21.5)278 (18.9)
  Other40 (11.0)240 (16.3)
Health characteristics
 BMI0.190
  Normal, <2596 (26.5)453 (30.9)
  Overweight, 25–29142 (39.2)560 (38.1)
  Obese, 30–3480 (22.1)293 (20.0)
  Very obese, >3439 (10.8)124 (8.4)
 Health in year before injury0.730
  Excellent90 (24.9)330 (22.5)
  Very good125 (34.5)537 (36.6)
  Good107 (29.6)447 (30.4)
  Fair/poor40 (11.0)151 (10.3)
 SF-36 mental health score*<0.001
  2 SD below population mean84 (23.2)184 (12.5)
  1–2 SD below population mean105 (29.0)289 (19.7)
  1 SD below population mean101 (27.9)361 (24.6)
  At or above population mean72 (19.9)632 (43.1)
 Catastrophizing (0–4)<0.001
  Low (<1)43 (11.9)379 (25.8)
  Moderate (1–2.9)188 (51.9)793 (54.0)
  High (3–4)131 (36.2)296 (20.2)
 Work fear-avoidance (0–6)<0.001
  Low (0–2.9)34 (9.4)332 (22.6)
  Moderate (3–4.9)91 (25.1)497 (33.9)
  High (5–5.9)143 (39.5)405 (27.6)
  Very high (6)94 (26.0)234 (15.9)
Clinical characteristics
 Type of first medical visit<0.001
  Primary care177 (48.9)635 (43.3)
  Occupational medicine18 (5.0)41 (2.8)
  Chiropractor71 (19.6)488 (33.2)
  Surgeon13 (3.6)26 (1.8)
  Emergency room/clinic75 (20.7)254 (17.3)
  Other8 (2.2)24 (1.6)
Work characteristics
 Offered job accommodation for disability<0.001
  Yes131 (36.2)704 (48.0)
  No224 (61.9)748 (51.0)
 More than 1 previous compensable back claims0.008
  Yes89 (24.6)268 (18.3)
  No273 (75.4)1190 (81.1)
 Job satisfaction0.563
  Not at all16 (4.4)87 (5.9)
  Not too satisfied30 (8.3)131 (8.9)
  Somewhat satisfied160 (44.2)604 (41.1)
  Very satisfied156 (43.1)642 (43.7)
 Industry0.043
  Natural resources10 (2.8)80 (5.4)
  Construction72 (19.9)253 (17.2)
  Manufacturing40 (11.0)108 (7.4)
  Trade/transportation80 (22.1)366 (24.9)
  Management65 (18.0)232 (15.8)
  Education/health51 (14.1)230 (15.7)
  Hospitality44 (12.2)199 (13.6)
 Physical demands at work0.010
  Light58 (16.0)308 (21.0)
  Medium112 (30.9)470 (32.0)
  Heavy80 (22.1)354 (24.1)
  Very heavy108 (29.8)330 (22.5)
Injury characteristics
 Health status at the time of interview0.300
  Excellent70 (19.3)290 (19.8)
  Very good123 (34.0)531 (36.2)
  Good121 (33.4)466 (31.7)
  Fair/poor46 (12.7)180 (12.3)
 Pain intensity the last week§<0.001
  Low/no pain (0–3)38 (10.5)409 (27.9)
  Moderate (4–6)105 (29.0)381 (26.0)
  High (7–10)219 (60.5)675 (46.0)
 Roland-Morris disability questionnaire score<0.001
  ≤613 (3.6)412 (28.1)
  7–1248 (13.3)336 (22.9)
  13–18120 (33.1)408 (27.8)
  ≥18181 (50.0)312 (21.3)
 Medical record documented injury severity rating<0.001
  Mild sprain/strain and/or minor physical examination findings98 (27.1)906 (61.7)
  Major sprain/strain evidenced by substantial immobility69 (19.1)308 (21.0)
  Evidence of radiculopathy or reflexes absent193 (53.3)246 (16.8)

Frequency counts do not always sum to total because of missing responses or rounding.

Values are N (%) and P values indicate χ2 tests.

*SF-36v2 MH, short form-36 version 2 mental health scale.,

Mean of responses to 3 questions from the Pain Catastrophizing scale.
Mean of responses to 2 questions from the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire work scale.
§Any pain in the last week, scale ranges from 0 to 10.
Roland-Morris disability questionnaire measures physical functioning relating to back pain.,


MRI indicates magnetic resonance imaging;
BMI, body mass index;
SF-36, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey;
D-RISC, Disability Risk Identification Study Cohort;
GED, general education diploma;
SD, standard deviation.