Responses to questionnaire items
| Questionnaire item | (n = 251) | |||
| No or rare cases n (%) | Selected cases n (%) | Most or all cases n (%) | No response n (%) | |
| Rest | ||||
| Patients advised against rest | 35 (14) | 27 (11) | 160 (64) | 29 (12) |
| Rest for <3 days | 51 (20) | 31 (12) | 38 (15) | 131 (52) |
| Rest for 4–7 days | 77 (31) | 15 (6) | 9 (4) | 150 (60) |
| Rest for >1 week | 84 (33) | 10 (4) | 4 (2) | 153 (61) |
| Soft collar | ||||
| Advised not to use collar | 19 (8) | 7 (3) | 209 (83) | 16 (6) |
| Use for <3 days | 66 (26) | 16 (6) | 12 (5) | 157 (63) |
| Use for 4–7 days | 73 (29) | 7 (3) | 8 (3) | 163 (65) |
| Use for >1 week | 76 (30) | 1 (0) | 2 (1) | 172 (69) |
| Verbal advice | ||||
| Use ice | 98 (39) | 35 (14) | 38 (15) | 80 (32) |
| Use heat | 78 (31) | 42 (17) | 51 (20) | 80 (32) |
| Do neck exercises | 8 (3) | 20 (8) | 210 (84) | 13 (5) |
| Written advice | ||||
| Designed by department | 28 (11) | 10 (4) | 176 (70) | 37 (15) |
| The whiplash book | 102 (41) | 2 (1) | 10 (4) | 137 (55) |
| Other | 84 (33) | 2 (1) | 18 (7) | 147 (59) |
| Drug treatments advised/prescribed | ||||
| NSAID tablets | 6 (2) | 75 (30) | 162 (65) | 8 (3) |
| NSAID gel | 129 (51) | 22 (9) | 11 (4) | 89 (35) |
| Other analgesic tablets | 19 (8) | 104 (41) | 83 (33) | 45 (18) |
| Nerve blocks/injections | 169 (67) | 0 (0) | 1 (0) | 81 (32) |
| Sedatives or muscle relaxants | 155 (62) | 26 (10) | 3 (1) | 67 (27) |
| Investigations to guide early intervention | ||||
| x Rays | 67 (27) | 153 (61) | 23 (9) | 8 (3) |
| MRI | 184 (73) | 20 (8) | 2 (1) | 45 (18) |
| Refer to psychological/counselling services | 218 (87) | 11 (4) | 1 (0) | 21 (8) |
| Use of physiotherapy | 71 (28) | 151 (60) | 20 (8) | 9 (4) |
| Follow-up | ||||
| ED clinic | 118 (47) | 76 (30) | 8 (3) | 49 (20) |
| Other hospital clinic | 142 (57) | 16 (6) | 1 (0) | 92 (37) |
| General practice | 44 (18) | 64 (25) | 107 (43) | 36 (14) |
| Physiotherapy | 70 (28) | 122 (49) | 18 (7) | 41 (16) |
ED, emergency department; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
ED, emergency department; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.