Prevalence, characteristics, and work-related risk factors of low back pain among hospital nurses in Taiwan: a cross-sectional survey.
BACKGROUND
Low back pain is a common health problem among hospital nurses. However, the prevalence, characteristics, and work-related risk factors of low back pain have not been widely investigated in Taiwan.


METHODS
This study used a cross-sectional survey of 217 hospital nurses to gather self-reported information on the prevalence of back pain, demographic and pain characteristics, and work-related risk factors from 178 respondents who indicated a past history of back pain. The association between the characteristics of back pain and work-related risk factors was also examined.


RESULTS
The lifetime prevalence of back pain was 82.03%, and the point prevalence of back pain was 43.78%. The mean pain score is 41.67. The number of years at work was significantly associated with the pain score for an individual's most recent episode of back pain, the extent of bothersomeness of back pain and leg pain, and the extent to which back pain interfered with normal work.


CONCLUSIONS
Back pain is common among hospital nurses in Taiwan. Years at work are significantly associated with pain severity and disability caused by back pain.
Division of Neural Repair, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Pei-Hsin
PH
Lin
Yun-An
YA
Tsai
Wei-Chih
WC
Chen
Shih-Fong
SF
Huang
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult