Comparison of Non-specific Low Back Pain Between Hospital and Home Care Health Providers

Abstract

Objective: Non-specific low back pain has become a major public health problem worldwide. Depending on theoccupational loading, non-specific low back pain is frequently encountered in health care providers. The aim of this study is to comparenon-specific low back pain between hospital and home care health providers.Methods: Thirty health care providers (physiotherapist, ergotherapist, nurse, physical therapy assistant) were included to study. Health care providers in hospital was referred as group 1, health careproviders in home care was referred as group 2. The relation between non-specific low back pain and body mass index (BMI), working-years, daily working hours, and their area of speciality (orthopedic, neurologic, cardiopulmonary, geriatrics) were recorded. Non-specific low back pain was measured by Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QUEBEC). A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to score the intensity of the pain.Results: The mean age and Body Mass Index (BMI) scores for group 1 were 35.73±10.95 years and 24.8±3.19 kg/m2; for group 2 were 30.93±6.49 years and 24.41±4.32 kg/m2, respectively. Comparison between groups, VAS activity and night scores were statistically significiant(p<0.01). Group 1 had higher VAS scores. The correlation between the QUEBEC and the VAS activity scores were excellent(r 0.5, p<0.01), but the QUEBEC and the VAS rest scores were correlated poorly.Conclusions: Non-specific low back pain is a serious problem among health care providers. These findings demonstrated that health care providers working in hospital have higher rate of non-specific low back pain. Daily working hours, working-years, and BMI may be associated with non-specific low back pain. Working at hospital cause greater risk because of hard working conditions. There is still need for proper training and precautions to decrease of non-specific low back pain.