Table 1 Characteristics of the study sample and stratified by the dichotomized continued care

Baseline characteristics

Gender, n (%) female

120 (70)

84 (66)

31 (84)

0.039*

Age (years), mean (sd)

43 (13)

42.13 (12)

46 (13)

0.081

Previous episodes of neck pain, > 3 episodes (%)

105 (61)

73 (58)

29 (78)

0.024*

Duration of current neck pain, n (%) ≥ 30 days

103 (60)

61 (48)

29 (81)

0.001*

Pain intensity (0–10), mean (sd)

4.6 (2.4)

4.2 (2.4)

5.6 (1.9)

0.002*

NDI (0–50), mean (sd)

11.8 (7.8)

11.5 (8.1)

12.8 (6.6)

0.356

MSK pain-sites, (0–10), mean (sd)

4.3 (2.1)

4.1 (2.1)

5.1 (1.9)

0.009*

4-week characteristics

Pain intensity (0–10), mean (sd)

2.6 (2.2)

2.3 (2.1)

3.7 (2.1)

0.0005*

NDI (0–50), mean (sd)

7.6 (5.8)

7.1 (6.0)

9.6 (4.8)

0.018*

Improvement four weeks after initial treatment, n (%)

109 (63)

84 (66)

21 (57)

0.295