Magnitude and contributing factors of low back pain among long distance truck drivers at Modjo dry port,Ethiopia, 2018.
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Date
2018-06
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
Background: Low back pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder affecting about eighty percent
of people at some point in their lives. Globally, 37% of low back pain was deemed attributable to
occupational risk factors and the magnitude was generally higher in those regions with lower
overall health status.
Objective: To assess the magnitude and contributing factors of low back pain among long distance
truck drivers at Modjo dry port, Ethiopia, 2018.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among systematically selected 422 long distance
truck drivers at Modjo dry port, Ethiopia from February to March, 2018. Data was collected
through face to face individual interview using structured questionnaire adapted from standardized
Nordic questionnaire for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. The data was entered using
epi-data version 4.2.0.0, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical software for
windows. Binary logistic regression was computed to determine association using crude and
adjusted odds ratios at 95% confidence intervals. Independent variables found significant with pvalue
less than 0.05 at the bivariate level were included in the multivariable logistic regression
model to control for potential confounding.
Results: The prevalence of LBP was found to be 65%. The study found monthly income above
5350 ETB [AOR = 3.07, 95% CI (1.76-5.33), P = 0.000], smoking cigarette[AOR = 2.28, 95% CI
(1.25-4.17), P = 0.007], physical inactivity [AOR = 2.14, 95% CI (1.26-3.61), P = 0.005], irregular
mealtime [AOR = 1.73, 95% CI (1.02-2.93), P = 0.042], chronic diseases other than LBP [AOR =
2.16, 95% CI (1.28-3.65), P = 0.004], frequent lifting or carrying heavy objects [AOR = 3.25, 95%
CI (1.83-5.75), P = 0.000], perceived improper sitting posture while driving [AOR = 1.95, 95% CI
(1.17-3.25), P = 0.011] and perceived job stress [AOR = 2.00, 95% CI (1.09-3.70), P = 0.026]
were predictors of low back pain.
Conclusion: This finding shows the public health importance of low back pain among long
distance truck drivers in Ethiopia. Individual factors largely accounted for the development of low
back pain, hence orientation on these modifiable risk factors and regular follow up on safety
procedures should be considered to mitigate the problem.
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Keywords
low back pain, magnitude, contributing factors, long distance truck drivers, Modjo dry port