Low back pain among office workers in three Spanish-speaking countries: findings from the CUPID study

Campos-Fumero, Adriana; Delclòs i Clanchet, Jordi, 1956-; Douphrate, David I.; Felknor, Sarah A.; Vargas-Prada Figueroa, Sergio, 1976-; Serra, Consol; Coggon, David; Gimeno Ruiz de Porras, David

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042091

Low back pain among office workers in three Spanish-speaking countries: findings from the CUPID study

Citation

Campos-Fumero A, Delclos GL, Douphrate DI, Felknor SA, Vargas-Prada S, Serra C et al. Low back pain among office workers in three Spanish-speaking countries: findings from the CUPID study. Injury prevention. 2017 Jun;23(3):158-64. DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042091

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess the differences in the prevalence and incidence of low back pain (LBP) and associated disability among office workers in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Spain. METHODS: Data were collected at baseline (n=947, 93% response) in November 2007 and at follow-up after 12 months (n=853, 90% response). Six outcome measures were examined: baseline prevalence of (1) LBP in the past 12 months, (2) LBP in the past month and (3) disabling LBP in the past month; and at follow-up: (4) incidence of new LBP in the past month, (5) new disabling LBP and (6) persistent LBP. Differences in prevalence by country were characterised by ORs with 95% CIs, before and after adjustment for covariates. RESULTS: Prevalence of LBP in the past month among office employees in Costa Rica (46.0%) and Nicaragua (44.2%) was higher than in Spain (33.6%). Incidence of new LBP was 37.0% in Nicaragua (OR=2.49; 95% CI 1.57 to 3.95), 14.9% in Costa Rica (OR=0.74; 95% CI 0.41 to 1.34) and 19.0% in Spain (reference). Incidence of new disabling LBP was higher in Nicaragua (17.2%; OR=2.49; 95% CI 1.43 to 4.34) and Costa Rica (13.6%; OR=1.89; 95% CI 1.03 to 3.48) than Spain (7.7%), while persistence of LBP was higher only in Nicaragua. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of LBP and disabling LBP was higher in Costa Rican and Nicaraguan office workers than in Spain, but the incidence was higher mainly in Nicaragua. Measured sociodemographic, job-related and health-related variables only partly explained the differences between countries, and further research is needed to explore reasons for the remaining differences.