• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.325-339
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• 2022

Objective: This study was to perform to identify the distribution characteristics and related factors of work-related low back pain among manufacturing workers in Korea. Methods: We analyzed the third(2011) through sixth(2020) Korean Working Conditions Survey. This study examined changes in the prevalence of work-related low back pain among manufacturing workers and related factors, including demographic characteristics and working conditions. Results: The prevalence of work-related low back pain showed a general tendency to increase during the study periods except for the 5th wave. The prevalence of work-related low back pain was higher in women than in men. The prevalence increased with increasing age and decreased with higher educational attainment. This trend was observed in all survey waves. The prevalence ratios for work-related low back pain according to working conditions varied over the survey period. In general, workers with manual jobs, long working hours, and exposure to tired or painful postures showed relatively higher prevalence ratios than did their counterparts. Providing Information on health and safety, perception that work affects health, and experience of presenteeism were identified as influencing factors for work-related low back pain. Although the working environment is improving, work-related back pain is on the rise. A multifaceted study on risk factors for work-related low back pain is needed. Conclusion: Work-related low back pain is a significant factor affecting the working population's quality of life. The prevalence of work-related low back pain showed a tendency to increase during the study periods. A multifaceted study on risk factors for work-related low back pain is needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.1 s.41
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• pp.20-36
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• 1993

Work-related low back pain is one of the major factors that cause the loss of working power especially in actively working age, therefore controlling the work-related low back pain is one of the major issues in the field of industrial safety and health. This study was performed for detecting the risk factors and proposing the efficient control program of the work-related low back pain. The subjects were male workers employed at the manufacturing industry in Pusan with longer than 6 months' working duration. The data was collected by self-reported questionnaire and interview from May 1 to October 31,1992. The contents of questionnaire were as follows:. the experience of low back pain within the recent one month, general characteristics(age, marital status, education level, religion, regular exercise), physical characteristics(height, weight), employment status(working duration, daily working hours, rest during work, satis(action fur the job), type of work and working environments(posture, forward bending, lifting and movement, satisfaction for table and chair). The result was analyzed for 608 entire respondents by case-control comparative method. The number of cases was 152 with a history of work-related low back pain, so the relative frequency of self-reported work-related low back pain was 25.0%, and the number of controls was 344 without any history of low back pain. As a result, two characteristics of the employment status(working duration, satisfaction fur the job) and all characteristics of type of work and working environments showed a statistical significance between the case and control groups(p<0.01). The Oddb ratios of these variables for Work-related low back pain were calculated. They were 7.88 for the satisfaction fur chair, 7.86 for lifting and movement,3.31 for satisfaction for table, and 2.22 fur bending forward(p<0.01). And for the multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that unsatisfaction for table was independent risk factor for Work-related low back pain. In summary, though this study was based upon the self-reported questionnaire and the subjective complaints, the satisfaction for chair, lifting and movement, satisfaction for table, and bending forward concerned with the type of work and working environments were considered as the main factors causing the work-related low back pain, and the work-related low back pain may be preventable by the ergonomic control of these factors.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.571-579
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose of this research is to provide exercise programs for the prevention of work related chronic back pain. Background: In order to prevent musculoskeletal disease, including proper medical care health promotion programs are needed. Method: This is a research of musculoskeletal disease looking at 618 workers working at a car engine manufacturing factory from April to July of 2008. Through questionnaire specific areas of musculoskeletal diseases experienced by the workers were identified and preventative exercise program for chronic low back pain was recommended. Result: Research showed that of the musculoskeletal disease experienced by the workers, 197 presented with low back pain, 171 presented with shoulder pain, 64 presented with neck pain and 44 presented with knee pain. The symptoms of low back pain included stiffness(143), twinge and burning sensation(24) and absence of sensation(19). Using this result 4 types of exercise programs were recommended for prevention of chronic low back pain. Conclusion: Preventative exercise programs recommended for the workers in this research is easily accessible for the workers. Use of the suggested exercise programs will inevitably decrease work related low back pain. Also 2 other recommendations were made: 1) Internal structural change may be necessary using ergonomics. 2) More exercise programs to be used to increase adaptation and tolerance of joints and muscles that are constantly used for repetitive work. Application: This study can be used to provide for the prevention of work-related Chronic Low Back pain.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.100-117
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• 1996

The purpose of the survey was to find out the prevalence rate and related factors for low back pain of nurses and to develop educational program for prevention of the low back pain. The subjects of the survey were 593 nurses of general hospitals in Tae-gu City. The survey was conducted from June 10, 1994 to October 3, 1994. The questionnaire included 34 question items concerning general characteristics, factors related to low back pain, physical nursing activities, and characteristics of low back pain. The results were as follows : 1. Among 593 of subjects, the prevalence rate of low back pain showed 62.1%. 2. In relation of health related life activities and low back pain prevalence, self-reported health state was highly significant(P=.000). 3. In relation of work environmental factors and low back pain prevalence, job satisfaction (P=.026), job stress(P=.020), and workload(P=.002) were significant. 4. In relation of physical nursing activities and low back pain prevalence, bending (P=.000), trunk twisting(P=.003), stretching(P=.006), and pulling and pushing(P=.046) were significant. 5. Physical nursing activities inducing back stress was varicant according to wards. The results of this study pointed out that the subjects' low back pain prevalence was related to the work-related physiologic and psychologic factors. Therefore, for the effective prevention of low back pain, both practicing the body mechanics and raising the morale of the nurses are needed in educational program.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.213-222
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• 1998

The prevalence rate of low back pain in nurses is higher than that of other jobs, because there are many more risk factors(for example, standing postures, lifting and carrying heavy loads, transfering patients, changing a patient's position etc.). This investigation is to provide basic data for prevention of low back pain by analyzing the prevalence rate and related factors of low back pain in nurses(esp. operating room staff) in general hospitals. A self-reported questionaire survey was carried out on three hundred and five nurses of three general hospitals in Seoul from June, 1996 to August, 1996. Subjects of the survey were divided into a low back pain group(LBP) and a cotrol group to investigate the association between low back pain and the general characteristics and work related factors of each group. The results were as follows: 1. In the subjects of the survey, the prevalence rate of low back pain was 60.0% for the last year. 2. 73.6% of operating room(OR) staff complained of low back pain. 3. Standing for a long time and working in twisting postures were associated with low back pain, and so were the shift, the type of work, and the frequency of transfering patients. 4. The weight loads which nurses frequently carried were, under 5kg, 5-10kg, 15-20kg, 15-20kg, over 20kg, and all, except for 10-15kg, were associated with LBP. 5. 76.9% of the LBP experienced low back pain within 3 years after starting nursing jobs. 6. Concerning the degrees of low back pain: 75.8% was limited to waist; 18.8% reached the knees; 4.2% reached ankles. In conclusion, the prevalence rate of low back pain in general hospital nurses was associated with the works in operating room and other work related factors, therefore it is necessary to develop on educational program for the prevention of low back pain as well as and to improve working environments.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.186-196
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• 2007

Background : The aim of this study was to confirm the risk factors for low back pain and injury to improve the prevention and treatment of lower back pain. Materials and Methods : An epidemiologic study of low back pain and injury was performed with questionnaires distributed to 471 women working at Yeungnam university hospital. The differences in low back pain and injuries among various hospital departments were analyzed by a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the relevant factors included in the questionnaire were determined by a factor analysis. Results : The frequency of low back pain in women in the department of diet and in the maintenance department was higher than among the other departments. The frequency of low back pain was mainly related to the frequency of psychosomatic symptoms. In addition, the low back pain was partially related to the frequency of psychosomatic symptoms and partially related to the frequency of pushing during the workday. The degree of disability from low back pain was increased by lifting and hard physical work and was related to the frequency of psychosomatic symptoms and the degree of work dissatisfaction. The frequency of low back injury was increased by increased standing time during work and hard physical work. The frequency of low back injury was related to advancing age and in part to psychosomatic symptoms. Conclusion : Lower back pain and its associated complications are related to psychosomatic factors and type of work. Lower back injury is related to physiological factors such as age. For the prevention and treatment of lower back pain, a multidisciplinary approach is required.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.26-34
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• 2008

The purposes of this study were to assess and modify the original classification categories of the modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) and to determine the unidimensionality of the modified ODQ applying Rasch Analysis. The data were obtained from 108 work-related low back pain patients by physical therapists. Construct validity of the scale using the Rasch model required the structure of the rating scale to be modified from 6 response levels to 4 response levels. Eight items from the modified ODQ fit the Rasch model. The items, "pain intensity" and "social life" showed misfit statistics. In general, the order of item difficulty of the remaining 8 items showed a logical item difficulty hierarchy with the "changing degree of pain" item being the most difficult and the "walk" item being the easiest. The results showed that further study is needed to expand the construct of ODQ including additional higher-level items related to work activities. This study may be useful for establishing a standard method to assess the functionality of low back pain patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.60-68
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• 2009

Psychsocial factors appear to play an important role in the maintenance and development of chronic disability from low back pain. Fear of pain may be more disabling than the pain itself in patients with nonacute low back pain. The purpose of this study was to identify the contribution of gender, age, depression and pain-related fear to pain intensity and disability in nonacute low back pain patients. This was a cross-sectional survey study of eighty four patients who had low back pain for at least 4 weeks. More than moderate correlations were found between pain intensity, disability, fear-avoidance beliefs and depression. Regression analyses revealed that disability ratings and fear-avoidance beliefs for work activities significantly contributed to the prediction of pain intensity, even when controlling for age, gender and pain duration. Also, fear-avoidance beliefs for physical activity, pain intensity, age and depression, significantly contributed to the prediction of disability, even when controlling for gender and pain duration. These findings suggest that disability scores and fear-avoidance beliefs for work activities are important determinants of pain intensity. They also suggest that fear-avoidance beliefs for physical activity, pain intensity, age and depression are important determinants of disability.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.319-334
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• 1995

To investigate the risk factors of low back pain, an epidemiological study was carried out among male workers aged 20-55 employed in an automobile industry in Korea during the time period from February 1993 to October 1995. Workers participated to this study were divided into low back pain group(LBP) and control group, according to the self-reports by written questionnaires. General characteristics, medical history, work related factors, fatigue, and MMPI were compared between two groups. To clarify the relationship between job related low back pain and radiologic features of lumbar spine, radiographic study was carried out. The resultant data were processed for $x^2-test$, t-test, and stepwise logistic regression to confirm the adjusted odds ratios. The results were as follows: 1. History of back disease, lifting and carrying work, excessive physical fatigue, and weakend back strength of individual workers were directly associated with low back pain. Odd ratios of these 4 risk factors of low back pain were 5.07, 3.34, 1.49, and 1.22 respectively. 2. The frequency of low back pain history was significantly higher in LBP group. 3. Back muscle strength of lumbar spine of LBP group were significantly lower than control group. 4. The workers in LBP group revealed high fatigue symptoms. 5. In MMPI test LBP group showed higher scales in hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, psychopathic deviate, paranoia, psychasthenia, schizophrenia, and hypomania. 6. LBP group were more frequently involved in lifting and carrying, working in awkward position, bending, twisting and using lower extremities. 7. LBP group were exposed more to vibration during working. 8. In the Analysis of radiographs of lumbar spine, Jacob's line not crossing fourth lumhar disc space, transitional vertebrae and lumbar displacement more than 4.4mm in standing lateral view were more frequently observed in LBP group than control group. Through these results, it is concluded that identification of previous history of back problem, change of work or working environment for workers with previous back problem and measures to relieve both physical and psychological fatigue of the workers are required for optimal management of work-related back problems among workers. In the present study, several results were different from the previous reports: Jacob's line not corssing fourth lumbar disc space, lumbarization, and vertebral slipping (spondylolisthesis) more than 4.4mm are related to backache. Meticulous studies are required to elucidate the difference.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.15-29
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• 2000

Low back pain is generally defined as a complex symptom rather than a specific diseases entity, especially when musculoskeletal lesions of the low back, neurogenic, vasculogenic and discogenic lesions are present. Sixty to eighty percent of all human being have experienced low back pain once or more times during in their lifetime. Low back pain is a one of the commonest cause of physical impairment and induces disability the activities of everyday living or the activities of work. Today, low back pain plays important part for the loss of working capability from social, industrial field and individual daily life. But there are no study about incidence and prevention program of low back pain in rural peoples. This study was conducted to find out current status and characteristics related to low back pain in rural peoples(especially engaged in agriculture), so that could provide basic data to establish prevention program for them. The data were gathered from 301 rural adults(female 62.1%, male 37.9%) with low back pain by the structured interview in the 4 communities(south and north Gyeong-sang Do and Chung-cheong Do), and sampled at local hospital, local clinic, and health clinic center in May, 2000. The results were as followed. About one third of cases(35.5%) were aged from 60 to 69, 34.6% were smoker, and 91.4% not used to regular exercise. Low back pain frequently due to intervertebral articulopathy(42.5%), follewed by herniated intervertebral disk(19.9%), sprain(17.3%), vertebral dislocation(4.0%), and etc(16.2%). Above half of cases(56.5%) were a eight-hour workday, and 61.8% complained of low back pain during work. Mostly, period of agricultural experience was more than 20 years, and cultivated more than 2 crops. Low back pain is common to rural adults, therefore adequate resting time from work and lumbar strengthening exercise program needed to prevent low back pain in rural peoples.