Prevalence and risk factors of low back pain among nurses at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society
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Abstract
Background : Nursing is a profession with high risk of low back pain (LBP). LBP impacts the quality of life of nurses, i.e, physical performance, ability to work, quality of care, absence and economic and labor force.
Objective : To determine prevalence and risk factors of LBP among nurses in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society.
Material and Methods : The participants were 311 nurses working at the in-patient departments who passed the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study with signed inform consents. Selfadministered
questionnaires were used to determine the prevalence and risk factors of LBP. The questionnaire consisted of four
sections :demographic data, job characteristics, the Thai version of ‘Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire’ (version 1.0) and Suanprung Stress Test-20. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics :frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Chi-square and logistic regression were used to find
the correlation between the risk factors and LBP.
Results : The finding indicates that in 12 months, the prevalence of LBP was 39.2 %. The severity according to Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire showed minimal disability. The severity according to Suanprung Stress Test-20 showed moderate stress. Logistic regression analysis indicated that heavy lifting loads related to LBP (OR = 5.597, 95%CI = 3.275 - 9.565) poor posture (OR = 2.447, 95%CI = 1.185 - 5.053), and high to severe stress
(OR = 2.312, 95%CI = 1.341- 3.985) were the significant risk factors of LBP among the nurses (P <0.05).
Conclusion : The prevalence of LBP among the nurses in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society was rather high. The risk factors of LBP were involved with heavy loadlifting, poor posturing and stress level. The finding of the risk factors of LBP among nurses are useful for developing LBP preventive factorbased
interventions.