Low Back Pain and Its Risk Factors Among Nurses Working in East Bale, Bale, and West Arsi Zone Government Hospitals, Oromia Region, South East Ethiopia, 2021 –Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background

Hospital nursing staff are particularly susceptible to low back pain (LBP) a widespread health issue worldwide. There was little available data on the prevalence of LBP and risk factors related to it in this population.

Objective

Assessed the prevalence of LBP and risk factors in nurses working in South-East Ethiopia’s Oromia region in the East Bale, Bale, and West Arsi zone government hospitals.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out within an institution in the East Bale, Bale, and West Arsi zone government hospitals; 440 nurses were chosen to use a process of systematic random sampling, and data was gathered between June 1 and July 30, 2021. Using pre-designed questionnaires, I interrogated participants. After being verified as complete, the gathered data was entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Bi variate and multivariate logistic regressions with 95% confidence intervals and crude and adjusted odd ratios were generated and interpreted as necessary. To deem a result statistically significant, a p-value of 0.05 or lower was required.

Results

A total of 427 nurses engaged in the interview out of the 440 participants that wanted to take part in the study, yielding a response rate of 97.1%. Low back pain was 42.6% more common over a year [95% CI: (0.384, 0.476)]. According to the multivariate analysis, females [AOR = 1.791; 95% CI: (1.121, 2.861)], age higher than forty [AOR=2.388, 95% CI: (1.315, 4.337)], age grouped 31–40 years [(AOR=2.064, 95% CI: 1.233, 3.455)], divorced [(AOR=10.288, 95% CI: (3.063, 34.553)], married [(AOR=1.676 (1.675, 16.999)].

Conclusion

The study suggests that implementing preventive measures and offering ergonomic training can help reduce LBP among nurses in these hospitals.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• low back pain
• nurse
• hospitals

Abbreviations

AOR, Adjusted Odds Ratio; CI, Confidence Interval; CLBP, Chronic Low Back Pain; DALYS, Disability Adjusted Life Years; GBD, Global Burden of Disease Study; KM, Kilometer; LBP, Low Back Pain; MSDS, Musculoskeletal Disorders; MWUGRH, Madda Walabu University Goba Referral Hospital; SPSS, Statistical Package for Social Science; USA, United States of America; YLDS, Years Lived with Disability; WHO, World Health Organization; VAS, Visual Analog Scale.

Data Sharing Statement

The primary author has a dataset with all the necessary information, which is available upon request that is supported by sufficient evidence.

Ethics approval and consent to participants

Prior to data collection, this study received approval from the Madda Walabu University Goba Referral Hospital’s human ethics committee, and on June 6th, 2021, the project was given ethical approval number 01/6/740. In a letter to the participants, the researchers outlined the study’s objectives and research design while also assuring them that their privacy would be safeguarded and that their involvement in the study was completely voluntary.

All study participants provided their informed permission before being enrolled. Each stage and technique was carried out in compliance with the pertinent rules and regulations. The participants were also told they may stop participating in the study whenever they wanted, without having to give a reason. The declaration of Helsinki was followed in every step of the study’s protocols. Participants engaged voluntarily. There was assurance of confidentiality and anonymity, and by leaving off their identifications.

Acknowledgments

The study’s participants, data collectors, and facilitators were all extremely cooperative, and the authors would like to thank Madda Walabu University Goba Referral Hospital (MWUGRH) for financing this research.

Author Contributions

DA was involved in the conceptualization, methodology, investigation, acquisition of funds, data curation, validation, as well as the manuscript draft preparation. AT and ZF assisted in the interpretation of data, and editing, reviewing the manuscript. TM, SM, and AD helped in the analysis/coding, interpretation of data, and supervision. All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting or revising the article, have agreed on the journal to which the article will be submitted, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received for this study.