Table 2 Clinician demographic information

Age at initial recruitment¹ (mean (SD), [min–max])

44.7 (10.0)

[30–65]

46.2 (13.8)

[28–81]

35.2 (7.5)

[27–51]

42.4 (12.0)

[27–81]

Sex

3 M, 12F

11 M, 7F

8 M, 6F

22 M, 25F

Location of entry-to-practice education

14 Canadian

1 Internat'l

13 Canadian

5 Internat'l

8 Canadian

6 Internat'l

35 Canadian

12 Internat'l

Years in practice at initial recruitment¹ (mean (SD), [min–max])

12.9 (8.3)

[3–30]

19.2 (14.6)

[1–59]

n = 17

7.3 (5.7)

[1–20]

n = 13

13.7 (11.7)

[1–59]

n = 45

Solo practice or group (≥ 2 providers)

2 solo

12 group

n = 14

2 solo

16 group

1 solo

13 group

5 solo

41 group

n = 46

Uni-profession or at least 2 profession types at the practice

6 uni

8 multi

n = 14

2 uni

16 multi

3 uni

11 multi

11 uni

35 multi

n = 46

Imaging services on-site (number of "yes")

2

3

1

6

Imaging services nearby (number of "yes")

1

0

1

2

Hours per week in practice (median (IQR), [min–max])

30 (31)

[20–75]

30 (11)

[12–50]

38 (5)

[14–43]

35 (15)

[12–75]

Number of patients, any type, per typical week (median (IQR), [min–max])

98 (80)

[30–200]

50 (76)

[20–150]

n = 17

57.5 (30)

[23–100]

67.5 (55)

[20–200]

n = 46

Number of patients per month consulting for low back pain (median (IQR), [min–max])

6 (16)

[1–57]

30 (52)

[2–100]

n = 15

9 (8)

[5–23]

10 (24)

[1–100]

n = 44

Time spent per patient, new visits (median (IQR), [min–max])

30 (15)

[15–40]

53 (30)

[20–60]

60 (15)

[40–60]

45 (30)

[15–60]

Time spent per repeat patient visit (median (IQR), [min–max])

15 (5)

[10–23]

19 (10)

[10–30]

30 (12.5)

[18–45]

20 (10)

[10–45]

Special interest in low back pain or related (number of "yes")

1

10

12

23

Recruitment to the initial phase of the study (number who received a letter by random selection rather than recruited by snowball)

12

14

9

35

Number of patients the clinician recruited to the study with usable data

2.3 (3.0)

[0–9]

10.1 (10.4)

[0–35]

8.1 (5.2)

[0–20]

7.0 (8.0)

[0–35]

Pre-interview questionnaire

 Self-reported familiarity with any of a list of low back pain practice guidelines² (mean (SD), [min–max])

2.5 (1.5)

[1–5]

2.9 (1.8)

[1–6]

2.5 (1.3)

[1–5]

2.7 (1.6)

[1–6]

 Agreement³ with I am likely to refer low back pain patients for lumbar spine imaging (x-rays, CT or MRI) because patients often expect me to do so (mean (SD), [min–max])

1.8 (1.0)

[1–5]

1.3 (0.5)

[1, 2]

1.3 (0.6)

[1–3]

n = 13

1.5 (0.7)

[1–5]

n = 46

 Agreement³ with There is a role for lumbar spine imaging (x-rays, CT or MRI) when there are neurological signs associated with low back pain (mean (SD), [min–max])

3.9 (1.0)

[1–5]

3.9 (1.0)

[2–5]

3.5 (1.2)

[1–5]

n = 13

3.8 (1.1)

[1–5]

n = 46

 Agreement³ with Lumbar spine imaging (x-rays, CT or MRI) are useful to confirm the diagnosis and to direct appropriate treatment of low back pain, even in the absence of red flags for serious disease (mean (SD), [min–max])

2.0 (0.6)

[1–3]

2.8 (1.0)

[2–5]

2.0 (1.1)

[1–4]

2.3 (1.0)

[1–5]

 Agreement³ with I do not think it is really safe for a person with low back pain to be physically active (mean (SD), [min–max])

1.1 (0.3)

[1, 2]

1.3 (0.6)

[1–3]

1.4 (1.1)

[1–5]

1.3 (0.7)

[1–5]