A cross sectional study to determine the prevalence and risk factors of low back pain among public technical institute staff in Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Abstract

There is a lack of quantitative data regarding exposure response relationships between low back pain (LBP) and associated risk factors among institute staff in Kurdistan Region, Iraq. This study explored such associations in an analytic cross-sectional study. Data collection was carried out with a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 70 (90%) institute staff from Koya Technical Institute (KTI) participated in this study. The findings indicated that 61.4% of KTI staff report LBP. Independent variables significantly associated with reporting LBP (P value <0.05) during past 12 months were smoking (OR=10.882; 95%CI=1.301-90.995) and job tenure (OR=3.159; 95% CI=1.072-9.312). In conclusion, LBP is significantly associated with smoking and years worked; therefore, workers should be educated on the effects of smoking not only as it relates to LBP, but also how it affects the whole body and how to quit it. This can be done through health promotion campaigns and programs sponsored by the university.