On the quantitative relationships between individual/occupational risk factors and low back pain prevalence using nonparametric approaches

Abstract

Objectives To explore dual quantitative relationships between low back pain (LBP) prevalence and different individual and occupational risk factors, and detect the most important ones which can be used as weighted input data in LBP prediction diagnosis models, providing effective tools to help with the implementation of protection and prevention strategies among hospital staff. Methods Fourteen predictor individual risk factors (e.g., age, gender, body mass index BMI [kg/m 2], domestic activity, etc.) and 17 occupational risk factors (e.g., job status, standing hours/day, sufficient break time, job dissatisfaction, etc.) were collected using self-reported questionnaire among the staff of Sacré-Coeur hospital – Lebanon (used as a case study), and correlated with LBP prevalence using Kendall's tau-b bivariate nonparametric approaches. Results This study indicates that among the investigated occupational risk factors, job status, working hours/day, and standing hours/day are the most influencing on LBP prevalence (highly correlated with other factors at 1 and 5% confidence levels). It also shows that strong positive (between 0.25 and 0.65)/negative (from −0.38 to −0.26) statistical correlations to LBP prevalence exist between these risk occupational factors and working days/week, sitting hours/day, job stress, job dissatisfaction, children care, and car driving. The weekly hours of domestic activity, the staff height, and gender type have proven also to be the strongest individual factors in aggravating LBP disease. These individual factors are highly correlated at 1% significance level (ranging between 0.28 and 0.49 for positive correlations, and from −0.49 to −0.25 for negative ones) to children care, weight, extra professional activity, and use of handling techniques. Conclusions These obtained bivariate correlations can be used successfully by expert physicians in their decision making for LBP diagnosis.