Risk factors for low back pain among office workers in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Low back pain is the most common musculo-skeletal problem in the workplace. Data from low-income countries are scant. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence and risk factors for low back pain among office workers in Ibadan, Nigeria. METHODS A cross-sectional study design was utilized. Questionnaires were distributed among office workers in the civil service in Ibadan, Nigeria. RESULTS Eight hundred and forty questionnaires were analysed, with a response rate of 66%. The 12 month prevalence of low back pain was 38% and the point prevalence was 20%. Low back pain was significantly associated with senior staff grade and smoking. Severity of low back pain was associated with sitting for >3 h. Only 16 respondents (5%) reported sickness absence due to back pain in the previous year. A total of 75 days were lost, a mean of 4.7 days per year. CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of low back pain in this study is comparable with that reported in studies from more industrialized countries, but does not constitute a major cause of sickness absence in this group of workers.