Abstract

Objectives: To establish the prevalence and severity of chronic low back pain (CLBP) in hospital-based healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and identify associated risk factors.
Design: A cross sectional, self - survey study.
Place & duration of study: A university hospital in Turkey between May 2020 and December 2020.
Methodology: Healthcare workers between the ages of 18-65 were questioned regarding the presence of CLBP and related factors. Those reporting CLBP also completed a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Roland - Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).
Result: 120 physicians, 119 nurses, 70 caregivers, 63 secretarial staff and 57 allied health workers were included in the study. Mean age was 35.27 ± 9.70 years. 65.64% had CLBP, most prevalent in nurses (32.4%). Body mass index was higher and time spent at work longer in those with CLBP (25.21 4.07, p=0.047. OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.13 and 10.1 2.56, p=0.001. OR 1.19, CI 1.08 - 1.31 respectively). 57.5% reported an exacerbation of CLBP during the Covid-19 pandemic with an average increase of 10.2 14.14%. NHP part 1 (189.98 137.69) and part 2 scores (1.90 1.97) were highest in the caregivers. RMDQ scores were highest in the secretarial staff (10.62 5.89).
Conclusion: CLBP was present in the majority of health workers, most experienced an exacerbation in symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic. Future studies could investigate the frequency of a wider range of possible occupational musculoskeletal problems in healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic so to identify and suggest treatment strategies for the most common problems.

Keywords:SARS-CoV-2; Pandemics; Health personnel