AB1455-HPR

THE EFFECTS OF LOW BACK PAIN ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY IN NURSES WITH LOW BACK PAIN

R. N. Demirtas ^1,*

¹Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, School Of Medicine , Eskisehir, Türkiye

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a major public health concern and there is a high prevalence of among nurses.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the effects of LBP on general health related quality of life (HRQOL) and functional disability in nurses with LBP.

Methods: A total of 122 nurses from Medical Practice and Research Hospital completed a demographic questionnaire. HRQOL was assessed by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form  Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36). It was used Visual Analogue Scala (VAS) and  the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability  Questionnaire to assess the self-perceived pain and functional disability. HRQOL and functional disability between the nurses who had less pain intensity (VAS scores <, = 5) and more pain intensity (VAS scores =,> 6) were compared.

Results: The age, body mass index, daily and weekly working hours, total working duration (years) and the number of patients given in care of nurses with LBP in two groups (who had less pain intensity and more pain intensity) were similar (p>0.05). Pain intensity was 3.77±1.29 in group I and 7.66±1.13 in group II and it was different between the groups (p<0.001). The nurses who had more pain intensity had significantly worse scores of functional disability (p<0.001) and general health (p<0.05), physical function (p<0.001), role physical (p<0.001), social function (p<0.05), bodily pain (p<0.001) domains of SF-36 compared to nurses who had less pain intensity.

Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that HRQOL is more seriously affected and becomes worse with the increment of LBP intensity. LBP  also causes functional disability in nurses. Therefore, comprehensive interventions aimed at minimizing the risk of LBP and improving HRQOL and functional status among nurses are needed.

References: 1- Videman T, Ojajärvi A, Riihimäki H, Troup JD. Low back pain among nurses: a follow-up beginning at entry to the nursing school. Spine. 2005 Oct 15;30(20):2334-41.

 2- Yip VY. New low back pain in nurses: work activities, work stress and sedentary lifestyle. J Adv Nurs. 2004 May;46(4):430-40.

 3- Cooper JE, Tate RB, Yassi A. Components of initial and residual disability after back injury in nurses. Spine. 1998 Oct 1;23(19):2118-22.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared