Explanatory variables grouped by prognostic factors, and numbers (%) in each response category
| Factor | No1-150(%) |
| Predisposing | |
| County | |
| Oslo | 3072 (49) |
| Nordland | 3192 (51) |
| Sex | |
| Men | 2752 (44) |
| Women | 3501 (56) |
| Age | |
| 20–34 | 1889 (30) |
| 35–49 | 2037 (32) |
| 50–64 | 1349 (22) |
| 65–79 | 989 (16) |
| Education | |
| Elementary school | 2112 (34) |
| College | 2350 (37) |
| University | 1802 (29) |
| Employment status | |
| Working/student | 3818 (64) |
| Homemaker | 440 (7) |
| Unemployed | 327 (6) |
| Pensioner1-151/sick leave | 1404 (23) |
| Daily smoking | |
| No | 3925 (63) |
| Yes | 2271 (37) |
| Regular exercise | |
| ⩾2 sessions a week | 2740 (44) |
| ⩽1 sessions a week | 3448 (56) |
| Perceived need | |
| Chronicity | |
| Non-chronic | 1057 (17) |
| Chronic | 5162 (83) |
| Location of pain | |
| Regional | 4276 (68) |
| Widespread | 1988 (32) |
| Pain intensity | |
| ⩽Median (1.0) | 4507 (73) |
| >Median | 1657 (27) |
| Disability (MHAQ1-152) | |
| ⩽Median (1.0 ) | 3335 (53) |
| >Median | 2929 (47) |
| Psychosocial | |
| Mental distress (SCL-51-152) | |
| ⩽Median (1.2) | 3418 (55) |
| >Median | 2846 (45) |