title: Risk factors of low back pain among the Chinese occupational population: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the risk factors of low back pain among the Chinese occupational population in several major industries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 7200 subjects (3600 cases and 3600 controls) were randomly sampled from a cross-sectional study, and they were investigated for individual and occupational factors of low back pain. The potential risk factors were first selected by using chi-square tests. Secondly, collinearity diagnosis proceeded by using the Kendall's rank correlation. Finally, binary logistic regression model was used for multi-factor analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Collinearity diagnosis showed that there was a severe collinearity problem among the potential risk factors of low back pain. Logistic regression model included 20 variables with statistical significance. Bending neck forward or holding neck in a forward posture for long periods (OR=1.408) was the most important risk factor inducing low back pain in this study, followed by bending heavily with the trunk (OR=1.402), carrying out identical work almost for the whole day (OR=1.340). Additionally, sufficient normal break was a protective factor of low back pain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low back pain among the Chinese occupational population was associated with body height, occupation, work organization, physical work, working posture, and others. All these risk factors could be regarded as the indicators of low back pain, and some relevant preventive measures should be taken to reduce low back pain risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
authors.forename: Jing Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Shan Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shan Fa
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Li Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan Di
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D011187:Posture; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult