Evaluation of Risk Factors Influencing Low Back Pain in Patient Transfer Tasks

Abstract

Low Back pain (LBP) is the most common type of musculoskeletal disorder (MSDs) in transfer tasks such as nursing personnel. Financial and economic costs expended for these disorders affect not only the individual, but the organization and society as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate associated factors in the incidence of LBP among nursing personnel according to risk assessment methods related to the patient's transfer. The present analytical study was conducted on 243 nurses in Kerman, Iran in 2014. The instruments for gathering data were Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), MAPO and PTAI checklists. The data was analysed using SPSS.16 software. The prevalence of LBP among nursing personnel was 69.55%. Based on MAPO index, 48.2% of wards had moderate level of risk. In addition, the results of PTAI index also showed that 76.5% of the studied subjects were at the second risk level (moderate risk) of LBP. Work experience, work shifts and the final score of PTAI index were factors that affected prevalence of LBP the most. In this regard, we recommend the modification of factors such as guidance in work posture, use of patient transfer equipment and guidance in their use, work arrangement, mental strain of patient transfer, physical load of patient transfer and Frequency of manual patient transfer.

Keywords

• Low Back Pain
• Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire
• Patient Transfers
• MAPO Index
• PTAI Index