Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), trials in which patients were assigned on the basis of order of entry into the study, studies using a block design, and studies using historical controls.
Specific interventions included in the review
Group education for people with lower-back pain.
Participants included in the review
People with either acute or chronic lower-back pain.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The short-term outcomes were: pain intensity, pain duration, initial sick leave duration, functional status, knowledge and spinal mobility. The long-term outcomes were: number of pain recurrences, pain intensity, total pain duration, total sick leave duration, functional status, spinal mobility and number of contacts with health care providers.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors do not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection.