The Prevalence of Low Back Pain among Female Hospital Staff at Childbearing Age in Kurdistan Region, Iraq

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) in low- and middle-income countries has received less attention. AIMS: To identify the prevalence of low back pain and associated factors in female hospital staff. METHODS: We included 320 female hospital staff in a tertiary medical setting in the Kurdistan Region. RESULTS: The study involved 320 participants aged 18-45 years, included doctors (37.19%), nurses (19.06%), administrative staff (11.88%) and others (31.88%). It found that 75% experienced LBP in the past year, with 60% reporting pain lasting 7-12 months. Pain severity was mostly mild (44.58%) or moderate (35%), and 80.83% experienced occasional pain. LBP interfered with daily activities for 45.42% of participants. Work-related factors contributing to LBP included prolonged standing (61.88%), sitting (39.38%), repetitive bending (22.19%), awkward postures (16.25%), crouching (16.25%) and stooping (16.25%). Those aged 31-35 are more likely to experience LBP than those aged 18-25 (odds ratio [OR]: 2.82; P = 0.0453) along with married individuals (OR: 2.34; P = 0.0136), doctors (OR: 3.06; P = 0.0136) and nurses (OR: 2.29; P = 0.0136), and healthcare workers (HCWs) compared to non-HCWs (81.67% vs. 66.43%; P = 0.0018). Evening or rotating shifts (OR: 8.23; P = 0.002) and awkward postures (OR: 2.41; P = 0.0358) also increased risk. Regular breaks reduced LBP likelihood (OR: 0.36; P = 0.0360), whereas a pregnancy history raised it (OR: 2.03; P = 0.0097). CONCLUSIONS: The female hospital staff had a high prevalence of LBP, linked to increasing age, being an HCW, working evening or rotating shifts and involving inappropriate postures.