Table 1:

Characteristics of the included studies

Study	Source of participants	Area	No. of participants	Onset of pain before study entry	Outcomes extracted	Follow-up
Bakker et al.10	General practitioner	Netherlands	97	< 6 wk	Pain (NRS 0–10), recovery rates	6 mo
Bousema et al.11	General practitioner and advertisement	Netherlands	124	4–7 wk	Pain (VAS 0–100), disability (QBPDQ 0%–100%), recovery rates	12 mo
Breen et al.12	Two primary care trust localities	England	75	< 12 wk	Pain (NRS 0–10), disability (RMDQ 0–24)	8 wk
Carey et al.13 Sundararajan et al.14	Urban and rural primary care and chiropractors, orthopedic and neurosurgeons, and health maintenance organization providers	US	1633	< 10 wk	Recovery rates	2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 wk
Carey et al.15	Urban and rural primary care and chiropractors, orthopedic and neurosurgeons, health maintenance organization providers	US	96	12–22 wk	Disability (RMDQ 0–23), recovery rates	18 mo
Costa et al.16	Primary care practitioners (general practitioners, physiotherapists and chiropractors)	Australia	406	12 wk	Pain (1–6), disability (1–5), recovery Rates	9 and 12 mo
Coste et al.17	Primary care practitioners	France	103	< 72 hr	Pain (VAS 0–100); disability (RMDQ 0–24), recovery rates	8, 15 d and 1, 2 and 3 mo
Coste et al.18	Primary care practitioners or rheumatologists	France	113	< 72 hr	Pain (VAS 0–100); disability (RMDQ 0–24), recovery rates	8, 15 d and 1, 2 and 3 mo
Epping-Jordan et al.19 Shaw et al.20 Wahlgren et al.21 Williams et al.22	Naval medical center	US	140	6–10 wk	Pain (DDS 0–20), disability (SIP 0%–100%), recovery rates	6 and 12 mo
Faber et al.23	General practitioners and occupational health physicians	Netherlands	103	3–12 wk	None	3 and 6 mo
Ferguson et al.24,25	Primary and urgent care facilities	US	32	< 4 wk	Pain (0–5), disability (VAS 0–150), recovery rates	2, 4, 6, 8, 10 wk and 6 mo
Gatchel et al.26,27	Industrial medicine clinic and orthopedic practices	US	421	< 6 wk	None	6 and 12 mo
Grotle et al.2,28	Primary health care providers	Norway	123	< 3 wk	Pain (NRS 0–10), disability (RMDQ 0–24), recovery rates.	1, 2, 3 and 4 wk and 3, 6, 9 and 12 mo
Gurcay et al.29	Tertiary care referral hospital	Turkey	99	< 3 wk	Recovery rates	1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 wk
Hasenbring et al.30	General or orthopedic practitioners	Germany	177	< 12 wk	Pain (NRS 0–10), disability (PDI 0–10)	6 mo
Hazard et al.31 Reid et al.32	Vermont Department of Labor and Industry	US	166	within 11 d of low-back pain	None	3 mo
Heneweer et al.33	Primary care physical therapy centres	Netherlands	66	< 12 wk	Pain (VAS 0–100), Disability (QBPDQ 0%–100%), recovery rates	2, 4, 8 and 12 wk
Henschke et al.3	Primary care practitioners (general practitioners, physiotherapists and chiropractors)	Australia	969	> 24 h but < 2 wk	Pain (1–6), disability (1–5), recovery rates	6 wk, 3 and 12 mo
Klenerman et al.34	General practitioners	England	300	< 1 wk	Recovery rates	2 and 12 mo
Koleck et al.35	General practitioner	France	99	10–90 d	Pain (VAS 0–10), recovery rates	12 mo
Kovacs et al.36	Primary care centres	Spain	366	< 12 wk	Pain (VAS 0–10), disability (RMDQ 0–24)	2 wk and 8 wk
Lehmann et al.37	Occupational physicians	US	60	2–6 wk	None	6 mo
Melloh et al.38	Primary care settings	New Zealand	62	< 12 wk	Pain (NRS 0–100), disability (ODI 0–100), recovery rates,	3, 6, 12 wk and 6 mo
Poiraudeau et al.39	Rheumatologist	France	443	4–12 wk	Pain (4-points), disability (QBPDQ 0–20), recovery rates	3 mo
Reeser et al.40	Primary and tertiary care facilities	US	368	< 6 wk	Disability (MODEMS 0–100)	6 wk, 3 and 12 mo
Schiottz- Christensen et al.41	General practices	Denmark	524	< 14 d	Recovery rates	1, 6 and 12 mo
Shaw et al.42-44	Community-based occupational health clinics	US	568	< 2 wk	Pain (VAS 0–10), disability (RMDQ 0–100)	1 and 3 mo
Sieben et al.45	General practices	Netherlands and Belgium	44	< 2 wk	Disability (RMDQ 0–24)	2 wk, 3 and 12 mo
Sieben et al.46	General practices	Netherlands	222	< 3 wk	Pain (VAS 0–100), disability (QBPDQ 0–100)	3, 6 and 12 mo
Suri et al.47	Outpatient clinics	US	77	< 12 wk	Pain (NRS 0–10), disability (ODI 0–100)	6 wk
Swinkels- Meewisse et al.48	General practitioners and physiotherapists	Netherlands	555	< 4 wk	Pain (VAS 0–100), disability (RMDQ 0–24)	6 wk and 6 mo
Thomas et al.49	Community-based	US	43	< 4 wk	Pain (McGill), disability (RMDQ 0–24)	3, 6 and 12 wk
Valat et al.50	General practitioner and rheumatologist	France	2493	< 1 wk	Recovery rates	7 ± 1 wk of follow-up

Note: Note: DDS = Descriptor Differential Scale, MODEMS = Musculoskeletal Outcomes Data Evaluation and Management System, NRS = Numerical Rating Scale, ODI = Oswestry Disability Index, QBPDQ = Quebec Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, RMDQ = Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, SIP = Sickness Impact Profile, VAS = Visual Analogue Scale.