Frequency,severity,and associated risk factors of low back pain among nurses working in public tertiary care hospitals of Rawalpindi. A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background

Nurses face a greater risk of developing low back pain because of the physically demanding nature of their work and excessive workloads. In developing countries such as Pakistan, the lack of modern mechanical assistive devices for patient handling further increases this risk, as nurses often rely on manual methods for assisting and repositioning patients.

Objectives

To determine the frequency of LBP among nurses working in tertiary care hospitals in Rawalpindi, the associated risk factors that lead to the prevalence of LBP, should be explored, and the intensity of LBP should be quantified via a visual analog scale (VAS) of pain intensity.

Methods

This quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Rawalpindi's three main tertiary care hospitals. Data were collected via a non-probability purposive sampling technique. A validated modified Nordic questionnaire was used to assess low back pain (LBP) frequency, whereas the Visual analog scale was used to quantify pain intensity. Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS version 23.

Results

Among a sample of 300 female nurses, 60% were married, 74.3% had a normal BMI, and 79% reported no history of accidents. The 12-month prevalence of low back pain (LBP) was 72%, with 54.3% experiencing activity limitations due to LBP. Moderate pain was reported by 37.3% of the participants. Advanced age, workload, and job experience were identified as significant risk factors for LBP.

Conclusion

This study confirms the high prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among nurses in Pakistan, which aligns with previous research. Key risk factors include older age, excessive workload, occupational stress, and over 15 years of job experience.