The epidemiology of low back pain: a longitudinal study in hospital nurses
The epidemiology of low back pain: a longitudinal study in hospital nurses
This prospective study investigated the prevalence and risk factors for low back pain in nurses, the incidence and predictors of new episodes and the natural history of back symptoms.
A cohort of hospital nurses were surveyed at baseline and followed up at three monthly intervals over a two year period using self-administered questionnaires.
The baseline response rate was 59%, and the lifetime and one year prevalences of low back pain were 60% and 45% respectively. In women, back pain during the past year was associated with reporting of frequent low mood, and with some common nursing tasks namely repositioning patients on the bed and bed to chair transfer. Among 838 women who were pain-free at baseline, 322 (38%) developed back pain during follow-up. The strongest predictor of new back pain was previous history of back trouble. Frequent low mood and stress at baseline and height were weak predictors. Risk of incident back pain was elevated in nurses who reported frequently repositioning patients on the bed, bed to chair transfers and lifting patients in or out of the bath using a hoist. The probability of further back pain increased with increasing duration and severity of previous pain, and this influence remained for at least two years. However, the negative effect of a pain-free period declined after a year without further back pain.
This work is one of very few longitudinal studies in the field, and contributes significant detail to current knowledge of the predictors and natural history of back pain. The findings have important implications for the prevention of back pain in nurses through selective job placement and ergonomic intervention, and for the management of return to work after an episode of low back pain.
University of Southampton
1999
Smedley, J.C
(1999)
The epidemiology of low back pain: a longitudinal study in hospital nurses.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
This prospective study investigated the prevalence and risk factors for low back pain in nurses, the incidence and predictors of new episodes and the natural history of back symptoms.
A cohort of hospital nurses were surveyed at baseline and followed up at three monthly intervals over a two year period using self-administered questionnaires.
The baseline response rate was 59%, and the lifetime and one year prevalences of low back pain were 60% and 45% respectively. In women, back pain during the past year was associated with reporting of frequent low mood, and with some common nursing tasks namely repositioning patients on the bed and bed to chair transfer. Among 838 women who were pain-free at baseline, 322 (38%) developed back pain during follow-up. The strongest predictor of new back pain was previous history of back trouble. Frequent low mood and stress at baseline and height were weak predictors. Risk of incident back pain was elevated in nurses who reported frequently repositioning patients on the bed, bed to chair transfers and lifting patients in or out of the bath using a hoist. The probability of further back pain increased with increasing duration and severity of previous pain, and this influence remained for at least two years. However, the negative effect of a pain-free period declined after a year without further back pain.
This work is one of very few longitudinal studies in the field, and contributes significant detail to current knowledge of the predictors and natural history of back pain. The findings have important implications for the prevention of back pain in nurses through selective job placement and ergonomic intervention, and for the management of return to work after an episode of low back pain.
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Published date: 1999
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Local EPrints ID: 463583
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/463583
PURE UUID: 4d05ed1e-bf36-4042-b165-644c43e1f48f
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 20:54
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 20:54
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Author:
J.C Smedley
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