OBJECTIVES: Low back pain is a common health problem in the population but its impact on quality of life and societal costs is not well identified yet. The objective of this study was to measure quality of life and costs related to LBP and to understand the relationship among these measurements. METHODS: 87 LBP patients (56 females) of mean age of 55 were recruited within a musculoskeletal study in both primary care and rheumatology outpatient settings in Hungary in 2000. Patients filled in the generic EQ-5D quality of life and the disease specific Oswestry questionnaires and reported health care utilization. Mean quality of life and utilization values were analysed and correlation coefficients between different measurements were reported. RESULTS: Average EQ-5Dindex, EQ-5Dvas, and Oswestry score were 0.48; 0.52; 40, respectively. QoL did not differ significantly across sub-diagnoses (i.e. discopathia, lumboischialgia, osteoporosis, spondylitis ankylopoetica, and other) groups of LBP. Average annual number of physiotherapy and spa/pool treatment occasions was 8.9 and 2, respectively. Average number of GP and specialist visits were 7.5 and 4. Patients spent a mean of 2.9 days in hospital and they spent12.7 days in bed due to LBP. Active workers reported 16.6 days spent on sick leave. Statistically significant correlation was observed between EQ-5Dindex and EQ-5Dvas; EQ-5Dindex and Oswestry; EQ-5Dvas and Oswestry; days in bed and EQ-5Dindex; days in bed and EQ-5Dvas; days in bed and Oswestry. Corresponding correlation coefficients were 0.71; -0.74; -0.67; -0.55; -0.36; 0.4 (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that LBP leads to substantial loss in quality of life, important direct medical costs, and substantial productivity costs among active patients. Different health status measures correlated strongly to each other but the most important cost driver, i.e. days on sick leave did not show any correlation with these.