Abstract

Introduction: Health care workers are known to have relatively higher burden of musculoskeletal problems including low back pain as compared to other occupational groups due to their specific ergonomics exposures at work. This study aims to determine the frequency of low back pain, its associated factors and level of functional disability due to low back pain among health care providers working in a tertiary care public hospital in Karachi.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare providers (doctors, nurses and paramedics) working in a tertiary care public hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. All 300 study participants were enquired about complain of low back pain in past 12 months and participants who had low back pain were assessed for low back pain associated functional disability using modified Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 19.
Results: 58% of all healthcare providers included in the survey reported to experience low back pain in last 12 months. 72.6% of all the healthcare providers with low back pain had minimum disability. While 27.4% of all healthcare providers with low back pain were found to have moderate to severe functional disability affecting their social and work related life. The study found positive association of low back pain with functional disability with an OR: 1.82 (95% CI: 1.56, 2.13). Worker experience >5 years OR: 2.70 (95% CI: 1.21, 6.03), lifting heavy objects / patients OR 2.14 (95% CI: 1.28, 3.55), family history OR: 1.98 (95%CI: 1.17, 3.36) (p-value <0.05).
Conclusion: Healthcare providers have considerably high prevalence of low back pain. A substantial proportion of healthcare providers are suffering from functional disability associated with low back pain; affecting their social and work life. There is need of multilevel interventions for prevention and control of low back pain in this highly vulnerable occupational group.

Keywords: Low back pain; Disability; Occupational health; Healthcare providers