Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Some Related Factors in the Iranian Field Staff of Prehospital Emergency Medical Services

It is widely accepted that musculoskeletal injuries, especially in the lumbar region, are among the most common complaints of people working in emergency medical services (EMS). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and its associated factors in the field staff of prehospital EMS in northern Iran.

This cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted in 2019 on 156 men selected by convenience sampling from the population of field staff of prehospital emergency medical centers in Gilan, Iran. The participants completed a questionnaire of demographic information and the numerical rating scale. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software, version 24 using unvaried logistic regression at 5%, and multiple logistic regression at 10% significance level.

Of all the participants, 69.9% (n=109) had LBP. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that workers with a higher number of calls per shift (90% CI, 1.01%-1.32%, OR=1.15, P=0.088), low income (P=0.016), history of underlying diseases (90% CI, 1.40%-54.12%, OR=8.71, P=0.051), level of education with bachelor’s degree or higher (P=0.077) were more likely to have LBP. 

The prevalence of LBP in the field staff of prehospital EMS was remarkably high. The most important factors that predispose these workers to LBP were the number of calls per shift, income level, history of underlying diseases, and bachelor’s degree or higher level of education. The findings can be used to develop guidelines for reducing the prevalence of LBP among the field staff of prehospital EMS.