Prevalence and factors associated with low back pain among health care workers in southwestern Saudi Arabia

Table 2 Univariate analysis of possible risk factors for low back pain (LBP) in the past 12 months among study (n = 740) health care workers (HCWs)

Characteristics	Total number of HCWs	LBP in the past 12 months		OR(95%CI)
Characteristics	Total number of HCWs	No	%	OR(95%CI)
Level of healthcare
Primary	176	114	64.8	Ref
Secondary and tertiary	564	433	76.7	1.80 (1.25–2.59)
Sex			7
Male	403	293	2.7	Ref
Female	337	254	75.4	1.15 (0.83–1.60)
Age (years)
20-	232	158	68.1	Ref
30-	319	255	79.9	1.87 (1.26–2.75)
40-	131	93	71.0	1.15 (0.72–1.83
> 50	58	41	70.7	1.13 (0.60–2.12)
Job title
Physician	353	259	73.2	Ref
Nurse	214	156	72.9	0.99 (0.67–1.45)
Paramedic	145	108	74.5	1.07 (0.69–1.66)
Dentist	27	25	88.9	2.93 (0.86–9.97)
Experience in years
Less than 5	100	69	69.0	Ref
5–10	283	205	72.4	1.18 (0.72–1.94)
More than 10	357	273	76.5	1.46 (0.90–2.38)
Work conditions
Long standing	126	86	68.3	Ref
Long sitting	290	225	77.6	1.61 (1.01–2.56)
Both	324	236	72.8	1.25 (0.80–1.95)
Body mass index
Normal weight	282	201	71.3	Ref
Overweight	321	235	73.2	1.10 (0.77–1.57)
Obese	137	111	81.0	1.72 (1.04–2.83)
Health status
No chronic disease	586	428	73.0%	Ref
One or more chronic diseases	154	119	77.3	1.26 (0.83–1.91)
Regular physical activity
No	227	157	69.2	Ref
Yes	513	390	76.0	0.70 (0.5–0.99)
Back Trauma^a
No	637	448	70.3	Ref
Yes	103	99	96.1	10.44 (3.79-28.78)
Smoking status
No	656	484	73.8	Ref
Yes	84	63	75.0	1.07 (0.63–1.80)