Magnitude and Risk Factors of Low Back Pain among Saudi Teachers in Abha City, Saudi Arabia
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- Category: Vol. 84, December 2016
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Magnitude and Risk Factors of Low Back Pain among Saudi Teachers in Abha City, Saudi Arabia, WALEED ABDUL RAHMAN H. AL-QAHTANI, IBRAHIM SALEM H. AL-FAIFI, ABDUL AZIZ AYED K. AL-GARNI, MOHAMMED ZAHER M. AL-BAKRI, SALEH O. BAJAHLAN, SAEED A. DEAJIM, MOHAMMED AL-ODDADI, AHMED ASIRI and OSSAMA A. MOSTAFA
Abstract
Aim of Study: To explore the magnitude of Low Back Pain (LBP) among school teachers in Abha City, ways of its management and to investigate the associated risk factors.
Methodology: This study was conducted in Abha City, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia. It included 400 teachers (210 males and 190 females), 192 teachers at primary schools; 138 at intermediate schools and 70 at secondary schools. Following a simple random sample, the study schools were selected (10 schools for boys and 10 schools for girls). Within a selected school, all teachers were included. A self-administered ques-tionnaire was constructed by the researchers. It included sociodemographic characteristics, and questions about self-management procedures for LBP. The study questionnaire also included the Arabic version of the structured questionnaire about LBP.
Results: During the last year, LBP was present among 35% of school teachers. For its management, 21.5% of teachers sought medical advice, while 55.5% took analgesics, 17.5% followed some traditional medicine practices and 5.5% prac-ticed exercise. LBP among teachers was more among older ones (p=0.003), among females (p=0.036) and among the overweight/obese (p<0.001).
Conclusions: LBP which is a common problem among school teachers in Abha City is high. The possible risk factors for LBP are older age, female gender and overweight/obesity. The application of a school-based health education program would be a useful strategy to prevent further incidents of low back complaints and to reduce consequent LBP functional disability among school teachers.