Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Associated Factors Among Bankers in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia

Background: Low back pain is the most prevalent musculoskeletal pain and one of the most common work related musculoskeletal disorder. Bankers are seeking leave due to low back pain which happened to be a draw back for the productivity of the banking industry. There is paucity of research and shortcomings in the existing studies on low back pain among bankers in Ethiopia. Objective: This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of low back pain and associated factors among bankers in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia, 2021. Methodology: Institution based cross sectional study was carried out from May 25 to June 22, 2021, where 421 bankers were selected using simple random sampling technique after stratifying banks in Dire Dawa into governmental and private. A pretested and semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview the study participants. Data were collected using Kobo collect application where the data downloaded in excel was entered to SPSS version 28 for analysis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were performed and variables that had a P-value of < 0.20 were used at bivariate level. For multivariable logistic regression, a p value with <0.05 cutoff was used to identify independent predictors of low back pain. Result: 387 bankers responded to the interview (91.9%). Twelve month and life time prevalence of low back pain among participants was 60.98% (95% CI [56, 66]) and 73.6% (95% CI [69; 78]), respectively. Marital status(AOR= 2.120, 95%CI [1.299 - 3.459]), being an accountant(AOR = 3.772, 95%CI [1.102 – 12.908]) or being auditor (AOR= 4.079, 95%CI [1.290 - 12.896]), sitting position(AOR= 1.919, 95%CI [1.174 - 3.137]), sitting hours per day(AOR = 2.993, 95%CI[1.538 - 5.825]) and work break(AOR= 0.533, 95%CI [0.312 - 0.911]) were factors significantly associated with 12 month prevalence of low back pain among bankers. Conclusion and Recommendation: Both twelve month and lifetime prevalence of low back pain among bankers in Dire Dawa was high. Being married, being auditor or accountant, maintaining a back bent sitting position, sitting more than eight hours per day and having no work break were statistically significant predictors for the occurrence of low back pain. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid sitting more than eight hours per day, have work break and maintain back straight sitting position and to give special concern for married bankers, accountants and auditors.