We conducted a prospective observational study during the winter of 1994-1995 in a representative national sample of 2,406 @entity1 aged 18 to 65 years seen in primary care settings for @entity1643 of less than 48 hours' duration. The following data were collected: demographic, social and clinical characteristics at inclusion; treatments prescribed throughout the episode, functional impairment and restriction of usual activities. These data were used to evaluate direct costs (health costs) and indirect costs (sickness payments). The sex ratio was predominantly male (60.4%), 80% of @entity1 were economically active, mean age was 43 +/- 11.7 years, and most @entity1 (76%) had a history of @entity1643 . Management consisted primarily of rest (bedrest, 32%; rest at home, 61%) and pharmacotherapy (mainly analgesics, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants; mean number of drugs per @entity1 , 3.2). Imaging studies were obtained in 34% of cases and physical therapy was prescribed in 30%. Referral and hospitalization rates were 5.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Among economically active @entity1 , 82% were put on sick leave, for a mean duration of 8.4 +/- 4 days and 18.6% were reported as having work-related @entity1643 . The mean cost of outpatient care for the episode of @entity1643 was 1,021 French francs (FF), most of which was contributed by physical therapy (41.6%), physicians' fees (23.9%) and investigations (16%). Mean sickness payments were 821 FF per @entity1 in the economically active subgroup and 523 FF per @entity1 in the overall study population.

Management and cost of care for XXXX in primary care settings in France.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity1643 :: ('MESH:D017116', 'Disease') :: ['low back pain', 'acute low back pain']
@entity1643 :: (MESH:D017116,Disease) :: ['low back pain']
