title: The Association between risk factors and low back pain among commercial vehicle drivers in peninsular Malaysia: a preliminary result.
abstract: To determine the risk factors associated with complain of low back pain. A cross sectional study was done from June 2004 until August 2005. Seven hundred and sixty commercial vehicle drivers from 11 bus companies in central, northern and eastern regions in Malaysia participated in this study. Modified Nordic questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of low back pain; Maestro human vibration meter was used to measure the personal R.M.S values of lateral, anterior-posterior and vertical axes. Modified Owas was used to assess the awkward posture of the driver torso namely, bending forward movement, leaning, sitting straight and twisting. Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to evaluate the mood states of bus drivers with complain of low back pain. A high prevalence of low back pain (60.4%) among Malaysian commercial vehicle drivers was found. Logistic regression analysis controlling for age, income, education level and non occupational activities revealed that the following factors were related to low back pain: Tension-anxiety [1.080, 95% CI 1.041-1.121], depression dejection [1.047, 95% CI 1.023-1.072], anger-hostility [1.053, 95% CI 1.027-1.081], fatigue [1.132, 95% CI 1.089-1.177] and confusion [1.114, 95% CI 1.061-1.169] of POMS, length of employment [1.001, 95% CI 1.0-1.003], steering wheel adjustment [1.521, 95% CI 1.101-2.101], perception of exposing to vibration [1.943, 95% CI 1.389-2.719]. In conclusion, combinations of risks lead to high increase of low back pain complain among Malaysian bus drivers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Occupational Medicine Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu City, Mie, Japan.
authors.forename: Shamsul Bahri Mohd
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Tamrin
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jalaludin
authors.forename: Nasaruddin Abdul
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: Nizam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jemoin
authors.forename: Rusli
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: Ayub
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li Naing
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: Mazlan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdullah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood / Q000502:physiology; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019415:Torque; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects; D000078329:Workforce