Prevalence of Low Back Pain among Rice Farmers in a Rural Community in Thailand

Objective: To determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among rice farmers in a rural community in Phitsanulok, Thailand. Material and Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 283 rice farmers in Wangnamkhu subdistrict, Muang district, Phitsanulok province, a rural community in Lower Northern Thailand. Face-to-face interviews with a structured closed-end questionnaire were performed to collect information on the presence of LBP in lifetime, within the last 12 months prior to and at the time of the present study. Results: The lifetime, 1-year (12-month) and point prevalence rates of LBP were 77%, 56 % and 49%, respectively. No relationship between age and LBP was found. However, women (61%) had significantly greater 1-year prevalence than men (51%). Ninety-five percent of LBP rice farmers were chronic (experiencing pain longer than 12 weeks) with a mean duration of 292 weeks (5.6 years). Conclusion: The prevalence of LBP among Thai rice farmers is high. Further research should investigate risk factors among this group of the population to design appropriate preventive measures