Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 51-10 | Page 44

764
J. Oosterhaven et al.
RESULTS
Of the 188 included patients 35 (19%) were classified as
dropouts, 14 of whom were male (40%) and 21 female
(60%). Patients dropped out at different phases of the
treatment: 10 dropped out in the diagnostic phase and 25
dropped out in the treatment phase. Overall, there were
no statistical differences in age, sex, ethnicity, marital
status, work status, ability to work and pain intensity
between the DG and the CG(Table I). The mean age of
the DG was 47.9 years (SD 9.9), compared with 46.7
years in the CG (SD 12.3); approximately 40% of the
DG were male compared with 28% in the CG. Statisti-
cally significant differences were found between the DG
and the CG in educational level: 11.4% of the DG vs.
3.9% of the CG had a low educational level (p = 0.009).
Pain duration was statistically different between the DG
and the CG (p = 0.027): 57% of DG had chronic pain for
more than 5 years vs. 34% of the CG.
Table II shows the baseline scores for the dropouts
and the completers on the variables derived from the
E-CSM of Self-Regulation. Although some differences
were small, the dropouts scored, on average, worse
than the completers on almost all of these baseline
scores. Statistically significant differences were found
for the PCS domain scores; helplessness (p = 0.001),
rumination (p = 0.009) and for the PCS total score
(p = 0.001). On the PCS the dropouts in our study
scored in total a mean (SD) of 27.43 (SD 10.98) vs.
completers 20.08 (SD10.59), indicating that the dro-
pouts were significantly more likely to catastrophize
than the completers in this study.
Univariate logistic regression analyses
Illness representations (Brief IPQ – 8 items). Just 1
item of the Brief IPQ was significantly associated with
dropout in univariate regression analysis (p = 0.041):
Brief IPQ treatment control, covering the illness belief
on how much you think your treatment can help your
illness (0 not at all, 10 extremely helpful). Lower scores
on the Brief IPQ item were associated with dropout
(Table SII 1 ).
Treatment beliefs (TBQ – 3 domains). One domain
of the TBQ scored below a p-value < 0.20: Practical
Barriers (p = 0.072). This domain identified treatment
beliefs in relation to practical barriers, such as costs
for and availability of public transport. Higher scores
on the TBQ Practical Barriers domain were associated
with dropout (Table SII 1 ).
Table I. Participants characteristics of completers and dropouts in a chronic pain rehabilitation programme
Factors All patients
(n  = 188) Completers
(n  = 153) Dropouts
(n  = 35) p-value a
Age, years, mean (SD) 46.9 (11.9) 46.7 (12.3) 47.9 (9.9) 0.553
Missing (%)
Sex, n (%) – – – Male 57 (30.3) 43 (28.1) 14 (40) Female 131 (69.7) 110 (71.9) 21 (60) – – – Dutch 136 (72.3) 109 (71.2) 27 (77.1) Non-Dutch 34 (18.1) 26 (17.0) 8 (22.9) 18 (9.6) 18 (11.8) – Low 10 (5.3) 6 (3.9) 4 (11.4) Intermediate 119 (63.3) 93 (60.8) 26 (74.3) High 43 (22.9) 41 (26.8) 2 (5.7) 16 (8.5) 13 (8.5) 3 (8.6) Single 29 (15.4) 22 (14.4) 7 (20.0) Living together 132 (70.2) 108 (70.6) 24 (68.6) 27 (14.4) 23 (15.0) 4 (11.4) Employed 53 (28.2) 47 (30.7) 6 (17.1) Unemployed 109 (58) 85 (55.6) 24 (68.6) Missing 26 (130.8) 21 (13.7) 5 (14.3) Ability to work 0–10 b , mean (SD) 3,6 (2,1) 3,6 (2.1) 3,5 (2,2) Missing (%)
Pain duration, n (%) 41 (21.8) 32 (20.9) 9 (25.7) 0–2 years 58 (30.9) 52 (34) 6 (17.1) 2 and 5 years 37 (19.7) 32 (20.9) 5 (14.3 ) > 5 years 72 (38.3) 52 (34) 20 (57.1) Missing 21 (11.2) 17 (11.1) 4 (11.4) 7.2 (1.5) 7.1 (1.5) 7.6 (1.3) 23 (12.2) 18 (11.8) 5 (14.3)
Missing
Ethnicity, n (%)
Missing
Education, n (%)
Missing
Marital status, n (%)
Missing
Work status, n (%)
Pain intensity 0–10 b , mean (SD)
Missing (%)
a
0.167
0.635
0.009
0.461
0.100
Completers vs. dropouts p<0.05 (χ 2 test, Welch t-test). b 0–10 on numeric rating scale. SD: standard deviation.
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0.756
0.027
0.084