Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2011 Dec;17(5):484-490. 10.4069/kjwhn.2011.17.5.484.

Prevalence of Low Back Symptom and Impact of Job Stress among Working Women as Clinical Nurses in University Hospitals

• Lee KJ
• Kim JJ
• Kim JI

• KMID: 2308239
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2011.17.5.484

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was aimed to investigate the impact of job stress on low back symptoms among Clinical nurses (CNs) in university hospital.
METHODS
A total of 322 CNs employed in a hospital in Seoul were interviewed by a well-trained interviewer using the structured questionnaire. Data collected for this study includes demographics, social and work characteristics, low back symptoms, and job stress. To test the impact of job stress on low back symptoms, we used multiple logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS
The prevalence of low back symptoms was 25.8% in this study. Low back symptoms differed significantly by factors, such as physical work burden, past history of injury and work duration. Also low back symptoms differed significantly by organizational system among independent variables of job stress. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of organizational system to low back symptoms was 2.07 after an adjustment.
CONCLUSION
This study showed that organizational system among job stress was a significant variable in explaining low back symptoms. We suggest the improvement of organizational system category as a preventive strategy for low back pain in CNs working in hospital.

Keyword

Clinical nurse; Lower back pain; Stress

MeSH Terms

Demography
Female
Hospitals, University
Humans
Logistic Models
Low Back Pain
Odds Ratio
Prevalence
Surveys and Questionnaires
Women, Working

Reference

1. Boswell R.T., McCunney R.J. McCunney R.J, editor. Musculoskeletal disorders. A practical approach to occupational and environmental medicine. 2003. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;314–331.

2. Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work, 2009. United States Department of Labor 2009. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (BLS). 2009. Retrieved Nov 9, 2010. from: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/osh2/pdf.

3. Catholic University. Occupational health. 2003. Seoul: Soomoonsa;415–441.

4. Chang S., Kang D., Kang M., Koh S., Kim S., Kim S., et al. Standardization of job stress measurement scale for Korean employees. The 2nd year project. 2004. Incheon: Occupational Safety & Health Research Institute;69–74.

5. Chang S.J., Koh S., Kang D., Kim S., Kang M., Lee C., et al. Developing an occupational stress scale for Korean employees. Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2005. 17(4):297–317.

6. Cohen A.L., Gjessing C.C., Fine L.J., Bernard B.P., McGlothlin J.D. Elements of ergonomics programs: A primer based on workplace evaluations of musculoskeletal disorders. 1997. Cincinnati (OH): National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health;3–4.

7. Daraiseh N.M., Cronin S.N., Davis L.S., Shell R.L., Karwowski W. Low back symptoms among hospital nurses, associations to individual factors and pain in multiple body regions. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 2009. 40(1):19–24.

8. Faul F., Erdfelder E., Buchner A., Lang A.-G. Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods. 2009. 41:1149–1160.

9. Halpern M. Rom W.N, editor. Ergonomics and occupational biomechanics. Environmental and occupational biomechanics. 2007. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;905–923.

10. Heibert R., Weiser S., Campello M., Nordin M. Rom W.N, editor. Nonspecific low back pain. Environmental and occupational biomechanics. 2007. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;925–936.

11. Hurrell J., Kelloway E. Rom W.N, editor. Psycohological job stress. Environmental and occupational biomechanics. 2007. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;855–866.

12. Kim H.C., Kim Y., Lee Y., Shin J., Lee J., Leem J., et al. The relationship between job stress and needlestick injury among nurses at a university hospital. Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2005. 17(3):216–224.

13. Kim H.C., Kwon K., Koh D., Leem J., Park S., Shin J., et al. The relationship between job stress and psychosocial stress among nurses at a university hospital. Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2006. 18(1):25–34.

14. Kim Y.H., Kim Y., Ahn Y. Low back pain and job stress in hospital nurses. Journal of Muscle and Joint Health. 2007. 14(1):5–12.

15. Kim Y.S., Park J., Park S. Relationship between job stress and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms among hospital nurses. Journal of Muscle and Joint Health. 2009. 16(1):13–25.

16. Lee K.J., Han S., Ahn Y., Hwang J., Kim J. Related factors on musculoskeletal symptoms in selected Korean female office and blue-collar workers. Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. 2007. 17(4):289–299.

17. Lee S.W., Kim K., Kim T. The status and characteristics of industrial accidents for migrant workers in Korea compared with native workers. Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2008. 20:351–361.

18. Ministry of Employment and Labor. Musculoskeletal disorders handbook. 2004.

19. Ministry of Labor. Statistics of industrial accidents and occupational diseases. 2001-2009. 2010. Ministry of Labor;10–14.

20. Nam M.H., Lee S. Effect of job stress and coping strategy on job satisfaction in a hospital works. Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2003. 15(1):1–11.

21. Park J.K., Kim D., Seo K. Musculoskeletal disorder symptom features and control strategies in hospital workers. Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea. 2008. 27:81–92.

22. Rempel D.M., Janowitz I.L. LaDou J, editor. Ergonomics & the prevention of occupational injuries. Current occupational & environmental medicine. 2007. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill;151–174.

23. Suzuki K., Ohida T., Kaneita Y., Yokoyama E., Miyake T., Harano S., et al. Mental health status, shift work, and occupational accidents among hospital nurses in Japan. Journal of Occupational Health. 2004. 46:448–454.