Abstract:
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common health problems worldwide. It is
a serious health issue that affects healthcare workers, especially nurses. Gender, age, excessive
workloads, heavy lifting, stressful working conditions, and lack of equipment have been identified
as causative factors of LBP among nurses.
Objective: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of low back pain among nurses working in
District General Hospital, Monaragala
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 239 nurses working at
District General Hospital, Monaragala. A self-administered questionnaire and validated Oswestry
Low Back Pain Disability score were used to collect data. Statistical analysis was performed using
SPSS version 25.0, and the Chi-square test was used to identify associations.
Results: The mean±SD age was 39.6±9.45 years. The average work experience was 14.31±9.54
years. Lifetime prevalence of LBP was 64.4% (n=154), the annual prevalence 57.3% was (n=137),
and the three months prevalence was 48.9% (n=117), while the one-week prevalence of LBP was
37.7% (n=90). Gender (p=0.010), age (p=0.041), marital status (p=0.000), having children
(p=0.000), working experience (p=0.036), working shifts per week (p=0.020), and physical
exercise (p=0.044) were significantly associated with LBP. Most of the participants (63.6%)
reported taking bed rest to reduce back pain, and majority of the participants (76.5%) reported that
bed rest helped return back to normal. Additionally, more than half of the participants (53.2%)
were classified as having a minimal amount of functional disability based on the Oswestry Low
Back Pain Disability score.
Conclusions: This study emphasises the importance of proactive strategies within healthcare
instructions, including ergonomic training, workload management, and fostering a culture of
physical well-being. By implementing these measures, the occurrence of lower back pain among
nurses can be managed thereby enhancing their overall health and job satisfaction.
