Nurses back pain beliefs, coping strategies and factors associated with participant activation for self-management of back pain

Abstract

Aims: To determine the back pain beliefs, coping strategies and factors associated with participant activation for self-management of back pain amongst nurses working in peri-urban district healthcare centres.

Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study design.

Methods: Data were collected between February and March 2020 using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive data analysis was done in Stata version 20.0. Back pain beliefs, participant activation and coping strategies were presented using relative frequencies and percentages. Odds ratios at 5% significance level were used to test association of factors for participant activation for self-management of back pain.

Results: Majority of the participants had experienced back pain which lasted 3 days for half of the participants. Further, pain medication was commonly used to cope with back pain. In addition, age, gender and work-setting were significantly associated with participant activation for self-management of back pain.

Conclusion: Participants' coping strategies for back pain were linked to the conveyed back pain beliefs which demonstrate that participants believed in rest and lengthy periods of time off work for back pain. However, participants acknowledged that taking an active role in determining one's health and function is vital. This highlights the importance of self-management support for health behaviour change amongst nurses.

Impact: The study addressed back pain beliefs, coping strategies and participant activation for self-management of back pain amongst nurses in peri-urban healthcare centres. Majority of the participants experienced back pain which lasted 3 days. Pain medication was commonly used to cope with back pain. Age, gender and work-setting were significantly associated with participant activation for self-management of back pain. Although this study was conducted in Zambia, outcomes from this study may be of benefit to nurses in similar settings. Further, the research provides insight to the international body of knowledge on the process and appropriateness of international research in resource-constrained settings.

Keywords: back pain; beliefs; coping strategies; nurses; participant activation; self-management.