Tewodros Yosef (BSc, MPH), Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mizan-Tepi University, Ethiopia.

Ayele Belachew (MD, MPH), School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.

Yifoker Tefera (MSc, PHD fellow), School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Low back pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder affecting about eighty percent of people at some point in their lives. Globally, 37% of low back pain was attributable to occupational risk factors and the magnitude was generally higher in those regions with lower overall health status. Truck driving is among jobs causing occupational LBP. Long distance truck drivers are more stressed when compared with other commercial drivers.

Objective: To assess the magnitude and contributing factors of low back pain among long distance truck drivers at Modjo dry port, Ethiopia, 2018.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among systematically selected 422 long distance truck drivers at Modjo dry port, Ethiopia from February to March, 2018. Data was collected through face to face individual interview using structured questionnaire adapted from standardized Nordic questionnaire for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. The data was entered using epi-data version 4.2.0.0, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical software for windows. Binary logistic regression was computed to determine association using crude and adjusted odds ratios at 95% confidence intervals. Independent variables found significant with p-value less than 0.05 at the bivariate level were included in the multivariable logistic regression model to control for potential confounding.

Results: The prevalence of LBP was found to be 65%. The study found monthly income above 5350 ETB [AOR = 3.07, 95% CI (1.76-5.33), P = 0.000], smoking cigarette [AOR = 2.28, 95% CI (1.25-4.17), P = 0.007], physical inactivity [AOR = 2.14, 95% CI (1.26-3.61), P = 0.005], irregular mealtime [AOR = 1.73, 95% CI (1.02-2.93), P = 0.042], chronic diseases other than LBP [AOR = 2.16, 95% CI (1.28-3.65), P = 0.004], frequent lifting or carrying heavy objects [AOR = 3.25, 95% CI (1.83-5.75), P = 0.000], perceived improper sitting posture while driving [AOR = 1.95, 95% CI (1.17-3.25), P = 0.011] and perceived job stress [AOR = 2.00, 95% CI (1.09-3.70), P = 0.026] were predictors of low back pain.

Conclusion: This finding shows the public health importance of low back pain among long distance truck drivers in Ethiopia. Individual factors largely accounted for the development of low back pain, hence orientation on these modifiable risk factors and regular follow up on safety procedures should be considered to mitigate the problem.

Keywords: low back pain, magnitude, contributing factors, long distance truck drivers, Modjo dry port.