Abstract

Background: Long distance truck driving is a known occupational risk factor for lower back pain, which has a damaging effect on all aspects of health-related quality of life.

Objective: This study estimated the burden of lower back pain and associated health related quality of life among long distance truck drivers.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in April 2018 among a sample of 400 cross- country long distance truck drivers from Djibouti to Ethiopia Mojo Dry Port, to learn the level of health related quality of life using 36-item Short Form (SF-36) questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS window version 21, and a general linear model was used to identify statistical significances in scale scores.

Results: Lower back pain was reported by 260 (65%) truck drivers. The mean global health Related Quality of Life score was 69.6 (SD ± 19.4). The overall Mean Score, the Physical Component Score as well as the Role Physical Score were significantly lower among drivers with lower back pain compared to those without lower back pain at p <0.001. The Global Mean Score and the Physical Component Score were significantly reduced with increased in age and among singles compared to married truck drivers.

Conclusion: Lower back pain is common among long distance truck drivers resulting in reduced Health Related Quality of Life. Increasing age and being single worsened the reduction on Physical Component Score.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Health related quality of life; Lower back pain; Global mean score; Physical component score; Mental component score