Work-related risk factors and the prevalence of low back pain among low wage workers: results from a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Low back pain, the most commonly reported musculoskeletal problem, is a major burden on individuals, health systems and social care systems with the indirect cost being predominant. It results in disability, poor service, low quality of life and sickness absences in working places. The problem of low back pain and its risk factors among hotel housekeepers are not well known in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the prevalence and identify determinants of low back pain among hotel industries’ housekeepers in Gondar town, Ethiopia. Methods Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2017. A systematic random sampling technique was applied to select 422 study participants, and the data was collected by a standardized Nordic questionnaire for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. Bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. The significance level was obtained at 95% CI and p -value ≤ 0.05. Results The prevalence of low back pain among hotel housekeepers in Gondar town was 58.1% (95% CI: 53.6, 62.8%). Being temporary employee (AOR: 3.22), type of job which requires reaching/overstretching (AOR: 2.93), engaging in a job that requires repetitive bending (AOR: 1.97), making > 30 beds per day (AOR: 3.19) signified the significant risk factors for low back pain. However, hotel housekeepers who were satisfied in their current job were less impacted by low back pain (AOR: 0.49). Conclusion A high proportion of hotel housekeepers in this study reported they had low back pain. Employment pattern, rest break taken, reaching/overstretching, repetitive bending, job satisfaction, training related to health and safety and numbers of beds making were among the factors associated with low back pain. Hence, ergonomic measures focusing on correcting the arrangement of work station, rest breaks and changing some equipment are potentially important targets to reduce the problem.

Sociodemographic Factors and Low Back Pain in Municipality Physical Activity Programs for Female Participants

“…This specific ambiguity of the results of the present study can be reflected in the results of previous research. Some of them show that the severity and the levels of LBP where higher in the groups of participants with fewer years of work (Lallukka et al, 2018;Wami et al, 2019), while others surveys present their results that more years of work contribute to higher levels and more severe incidents of LBP (Loy et al, 2010). The conclusion that follows from the above is that the results of the present research are ambiguous, just like the results of previous research and no clear picture can be deduced.…”

“…More specifically, the results of studying the relationship between LBP and with limited activity show a positive association of the intensity of LBP and age, and years of work (Loy, Warner-Czyz, Tong, Tobey, & Roland, 2010). On the contrary, a different survey (Wami, Abere, Dessie, & Getachew, 2019) regarding LBP among hotel employees showed that these employees with fewer working years had higher rates of LBP compared to those who had many years of work. In 2018 Lallukka and associates, after 28 years of research in the field, concluded that employees with few years of work presented statistically significantly higher levels of LBP compared to those who already worked for more years.…”

Impact of COVID-19Quarantine on Low Back Pain Intensity, Prevalence, and Associated Risk Factors among Adult Citizens Residing in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In other recent studies also undertaken in Saudi Arabia among specific professional groups, the point prevalence of LBP found was 80% in nurses [ 10 ], 57.3% in male high school teachers [ 13 ], 55% among faculty members [ 29 ], 40.5% in medical students [ 30 ], 51.6% in taxi drivers, 31.4% in office workers [ 31 ], and 21.2% among health sciences students [ 32 ]. Hence, in most of these cases, the point prevalence was higher than in our study, which could be related to the burden of work, type of professional or academic activity carried out by each group, and poor posture at work [ 33 ]. Worldwide, the LBP´s point prevalence found in countries such as Canada, the United States, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, Israel, and the Netherlands ranges between 1.4 and 20.0% [ 3 ].…”

Who suffers from pharmaceutical poverty and what are their needs? Evidence from a Spanish region.

“…However, chronic pain is associated with high productivity losses due to sick leave and unemployment, partly due to comorbidity with mood disorders [39], which increases the vulnerability of people suffering from pain [40]. Low-wage workers and those with worse working conditions are at higher risk of developing pain-related disorders and experience barriers to accessing quality care, which could hinder recovery [41,42].…”