Author/Editor     Stričević, Jadranka; Balantič, Zvone; Turk, Zmago; Čelan, Dušan; Kegl, Barbara; Pajnkihar, Majda
Title     Risk factors for development of low back and neck pain in hospital nursing personnel
Translated title     Dejavniki tveganja za pojav bolečine v vratnem in ledvenem predelu hrbtenice pri negovalnem osebju v bolnišnici
Type     članek
Source     Obz Zdrav Nege
Vol. and No.     Letnik 46, št. 3
Publication year     2012
Volume     str. 195-207
Language     slo
Abstract     Introduction: A literature review of the impact of the work environment on the development of back pain identifies nursing personnel as a high-risk professional occupational group. The development of musculoskeletal disorders in personnel exposed to manual patient handling activity (patient lifting, repositioning and transfer) has been recognised as a major risk. Less substantiated data are available, however, on specific physical and psychosocial demands of work as independent risk factors for low back and neckpa in respectively. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by usinga structured questionnaire and convenience sampling. The sample set comprised hospital nursing personnel from Maribor University clinical centre (n=575). The data gathered were statistically analysed. Results: The research results show that the majority of nursing personnel suffer from frequent episodes of low back (79.0%) and neck pain (65.9%). Further analysis established no statistically significant difference among the measured socio-demographic features, work environment and physical activity conducing to the development of either low back or neck pain. Discussion and conclusion:A literature review on spine problems afflicting nursing personnel indicates that pain in the lumbar region is a more common musculoskeletal disorder than the neck pain. The same results were also obtained by the present study. None of the risk factors were established as a predominant predictor for first-time occurrence of low back injuries and the development of either low back or neck pain. The proposed measures to maintain a healthy back and prevent back pain include adequate physical activity, avoidance of sedentary life style habits (like prolonged watching of television) and maintenance of normal body mass index.
Summary     Izhodišča: Delavci v zdravstveni negi so v literaturi opredeljeni kot zelo tvegana skupina za pojav bolečin v hrbtenici. Kot največja dejavnika tveganja se izpostavljata ročno dvigovanje in premeščanje bremen. Kako posamezni dejavniki tveganja vplivajo na pojav bolečine v določenem predelu hrbtenice, vnašem primeru ledveni in vratni, predstavlja v literaturi manj raziskano področje. Metode: Izvedena je bila presečna raziskava z uporabo strukturiranih vprašalnikov in priložnostnim vzorčenjem. Preiskovanci so bili delavci v zdravstveni negi, zaposleni v Univerzitetnem kliničnem centru Maribor (n = 575). Zbrani podatki so bili statistično analizirani. Rezultati: V prvi meri so rezultati pokazali, da ima velika večina preiskovancev pogoste težave z bolečino v ledvenem (79,0 %) in vratnem (65,9 %) predelu hrbtenice. V nadaljevanju raziskave pa nobeden izmed preučevanih socialno-demografskih dejavnikov, dejavnikov delovnega okolja in gibalne aktivnosti ni pokazal statistično pomembnega vpliva za pojav ene ali druge vrste bolečine v hrbtenici. Diskusija in zaključek: Izhajajoč iz literature, ki pripisuje bolečini v ledvenem predelu hrbtenice večji zdravstveni problem, naši rezultati za preventivo negovalnega osebja v bolnišnici okvirno priporočajo več rekreacije in športa, manj gledanja televizije in normalen indeks telesne mase. Naša raziskava je potrdila velik zdravstveni problem pri negovalnem osebju v bolnišnici zaradi bolečine v hrbtenici. Primerjava med bolečino v ledvenem in vratnem predelu hrbtenice pa ni pokazala očitnih razlik med preučevanimi dejavniki.