Table 1 Background characteristics of the study population (survey data)

 17–24

4 484

10,2

2 308

10,0

2 176

10,4

 25–44

19 160

43,6

9 880

42,8

9 280

44,4

 45–69

20 333

46,2

10 874

47,2

9 459

45,2

Educational level

N

%

N

%

N

%

 Primary school

11 116

25,3

5 979

25,9

5 137

24,6

 Secondary/High school

14 007

31,9

8 524

37,0

5 483

26,2

 College/university 4 years

13 328

30,3

5 508

24,9

7 820

37,4

 College/university > 4 years

5 366

12,2

2 969

12,9

2 397

11,5

Major occupational groups (STYRK-98)

N

%

N

%

N

%

 Legislator, senior officials, and mangers

4 569

10,4

3 032

13,1

1 537

7,4

 Professionals

7 921

18,0

4 170

18,1

3 751

17,9

 Technicians and associate professionals

11 818

26,9

5 236

22,7

6 582

31,5

 Clerks

2 743

6,2

1 100

4,8

1 643

7,9

 Service workers, shop, and market sales workers

8 480

19,3

2 514

10,9

5 966

28,5

 Skilled agricultural and fishery workers

822

1,9

670

2,9

152

0,7

 Craft and related trade workers

3 911

8,9

3 665

15,9

246

1,2

 Plant and machine operators and assemblers

2 552

5,8

2 235

9,7

317

1,5

 Elementary occupations

1 161

2,6

440

1,9

721

3,5

Low-back pain (previous month)

N

%

N

%

N

%

 Severely/somewhat

5 069

11,5

2 245

9,7

2 824

13,5

 A little/not at all

38 908

88,5

20 817

90,3

18 091

86,5

Long-term sick leave (previous month)

N

%

N

%

N

%

 Yes

7 046

16,0

2 946

12,8

4 100

19,6

 No

36 931

84,0

20 116

87,2

16 815

80,4