Lower Back Pain in the students at a Local Institute and its Correlation with Smoking and Gender

ABSTRACT Background: Lower back pain (LBP) not only remains the foremost cause of work absence and medical consultation but is also the leading cause of disability. It affects individuals from both developed and developing countries including children, adolescents, and the elderly. The aim of this research was to investigate the correlation between risk factors such as gender, smoking, and occupation and lower back pain among the people of Pakistan. The findings will be useful to establish factors associated with the condition and those can be modified to better manage the pain. Methodology: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted at a local medical college constituting both the students and the staff. Results: Prevalence of LBP was 51%. Males reported a higher frequency of LBP as compared to females (r=.191, p=0.03). LBP was also associated with the occupation. Students had a higher incidence of LBP (r=.178, p=0.04) as compared to the non-students (i.e., staff). Smoking was also associated with LBP as smokers showed a significantly higher frequency of LBP (r=.366, p=0.006). Greater Frequency of LBP was also linked with a higher grade of pain (r=0.346, p=0.005). Females reported a higher grade of pain as compared to males (r=0.292, p=0.01). Conclusion: There is a high frequency of LBP in students associated with gender, smoking and lifestyle. Proper education and planning are needed to address the situation. More prospective studies are indicated to further validate the results of this study. Keywords: Lower Back Pain, Smoking, Students, Gender, Correlatio