A study to assess the Prevalence of Work-Related Low Back Pain among Health care Professionals in Palakkad District Kerala

Background and Aims: Low back pain (LBP) are common among health care professionals (HCPs). The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and selected risk factors of LBP among HCPs in different medical institutions in Palakkad. District Kerala.Methods: Using convenience sampling, 160 subjects (28 physical therapists, 52 physicians, and 80 nurses) were included in this study. Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) and self-assessment back pain information sheet were administered. Descriptive analysis was used to study the general characteristics of the participants. Relationship between LBP and selected risk factors were tested using Chi-square and ANOVA. Data was analyzed using SPSS ver. 20.0.Results: The one-week prevalence of LBP was found 57% among nurses, 50% among physicians and 36% among physical therapists. Many risk factors were found to have significant relationship with LBP (p