Prevalence of low back pain and its associated risk factors among professions and workers in health, medical, and welfare facilities in Japan

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and its associated risk factors, including physical function, are not fully clarified among health, medical, and welfare facility professionals and workers. Furthermore, issues related to the prevention of LBP are not completely understood.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of LBP and associated risk factors, including physical function, in professionals and workers in health, medical, and welfare facilities.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Physical examinations for LBP were conducted, and data were collected at health, medical, and welfare facilities in Japan.

Participants: A total of 1085 health, medical, and welfare facility professionals and workers participated in the study.

Main outcome measures: Prevalence was calculated based on the presence or absence of symptoms of LBP at the time of survey. Then, bivariate analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between LBP and age, gender, occupation, history of treatment for LBP, passive straight leg raising (SLR) angle, and abdominal muscle strength. Furthermore, multivariate analysis was performed to examine the relationship between LBP and the six risk factors.

Results: The prevalence of LBP was high (74.8%). Bivariate analysis showed a significantly higher percentage of nursing professionals (46.2%) in the LBP group (p < .001). The association between LBP and the risk factors in multivariate analysis was as follows: history of treatment for LBP (odds ratio [OR] = 3.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.63-5.84, p < .001), nursing professionals as occupation (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.55-2.90, p < .001), passive SLR angle (OR = 2.06, 95% CI 1.24-3.42, p = .005), abdominal muscle strength (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.07-2.41, p = .021), and gender (OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.08-2.14, p = .015).

Conclusion: In the future, it will be necessary to take preventive measures for risk factors and to follow up longitudinally on the prevalence of LBP and on workers with indicated risk factors.