Prevalence and ergonomic risk factors of low back pain among solid waste collectors of local administrative organizations in Nong Bua Lam Phu province.

Abstract

This cross-sectional analytic study aimed to investigate the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and risk factors related to LBP among solid waste collectors of local administrative organization in Nong Bua Lam Phu Province. There were 160 workers participated in this study. Data were collected by using structural questionnaires and work environmental survey. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic characteristics, work environments and prevalence of LBP. Inferential statistics including Chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression analysis at 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of odds ratio (OR) were used to identify risk factors of LBP.  The prevalence of LBP during the last 7 day and last 12 month period were 62.50 % (95% CI = 54.51 – 70.01) and 77.50% (95% CI = 70.23 – 83.71), respectively. From multivariate analysis, risk factors which significantly associated with LBP consisted of  work experience ≥4 years (OR = 3.37, 95% CI = 1.11 – 10.17), no breaks during work  (OR = 10.19, 95% CI = 3.09 – 33.55), number of lifting per day >150 times (OR = 5.14, 95%CI = 1.54 – 17.05),  work 7 days per week (OR = 5.10, 95% CI = 1.53 – 16.96) and wrong handling trashcan (OR = 3.07, 95% CI = 1.04 – 9.06).  The findings of work related risk factors to LBP in this study suggest that, there should be improvements in working process, ergonomics conditions, and working posture of workers. Training courses of manual lifting and handling trashcan and health promotion program are recommended for workers to prevent the work-related LBP of solid waste collectors.