Abstract

The prevalence rate of low back pain in nurses is higher than that of other jobs, because there are many more risk factors(for example, standing postures, lifting and carrying heavy loads, transfering patients, changing a patient's position etc.). This investigation is to provide basic data for prevention of low back pain by analyzing the prevalence rate and related factors of low back pain in nurses(esp. operating room staff) in general hospitals. A self-reported questionaire survey was carried out on three hundred and five nurses of three general hospitals in Seoul from June, 1996 to August, 1996. Subjects of the survey were divided into a low back pain group(LBP) and a cotrol group to investigate the association between low back pain and the general characteristics and work related factors of each group. The results were as follows: 1. In the subjects of the survey, the prevalence rate of low back pain was 60.0% for the last year. 2. 73.6% of operating room(OR) staff complained of low back pain. 3. Standing for a long time and working in twisting postures were associated with low back pain, and so were the shift, the type of work, and the frequency of transfering patients. 4. The weight loads which nurses frequently carried were, under 5kg, 5-10kg, 15-20kg, 15-20kg, over 20kg, and all, except for 10-15kg, were associated with LBP. 5. 76.9% of the LBP experienced low back pain within 3 years after starting nursing jobs. 6. Concerning the degrees of low back pain: 75.8% was limited to waist; 18.8% reached the knees; 4.2% reached ankles. In conclusion, the prevalence rate of low back pain in general hospital nurses was associated with the works in operating room and other work related factors, therefore it is necessary to develop on educational program for the prevention of low back pain as well as and to improve working environments.