title: Increased low back pain risk in nurses with high workload for patient care: A questionnaire survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) increased in hospital nurses with high patient care workload.
  
  
  METHODS
  A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on the prevalence of LBP and its associated factors from 788 registered nurses from a medical center in Taiwan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all nurses with eligible questionnaires, 567 (72.0%) had LBP. Mean daily hours of working, standing, and walking were persistently longer in the LBP group. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that daily working for 1 hour longer is linked to a 35% (95% confidence interval (CI)=2-78%) greater risk of LBP. Compared with <2 years of service as nurse, nurses with 2-5 years of service had the highest risk (odds ratio (OR)=2.11, 95% CI=1.07-4.18). LBP risk was also higher for nurses with chore duty responsibilities (OR=1.99, 95% CI=1.12-3.53) and other back related disorders (OR=4.43, 95% CI=1.99-9.86).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that longer daily working hours and a large number of cared patients per shift should be discouraged in order to prevent musculoskeletal problems such as LBP in registered nurses.
authors: Department of Health Services Administration, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: Shwn-Huey
authors: SH
authors: Shieh
authors: Department of Health Services Administration, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: Fung-Chang
authors: FC
authors: Sung
authors: Department of Nursing, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: Chia-Hsien
authors: CH
authors: Su
authors: Department of Health Policy and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors: Yafang
authors: Y
authors: Tsai
authors: Department of Health Services Administration, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: hsiehchiarong@gmail.com.
authors: Vivian Chia-Rong
authors: VC
authors: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: job stress; low back pain; nurses; occupational health; prolonged work shift