Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Low Back Pain among Bank Employees in Kuala Lumpur

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Tharehneshwari Subramaniam, Selam Desalegn Gezahegn, Mahendran Jayaraman, Kshtrashal Singh, Yu Chye Wah, Syed Abudaheer Kajamohideen

Abstract

Introduction & Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent health problem affecting people worldwide. It is one of the leading causes of disability, absenteeism, and reduced productivity among workers, resulting in significant economic burden to society. Among occupational groups, bank employees are at a higher risk of developing LBP due to prolonged sitting, poor ergonomics, and psychosocial factors associated with their job demands. According to the Global Burden of Disease study, LBP is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide, with a prevalence of 9.4% among the global population. In Malaysia, the prevalence of LBP is estimated to be around 24%, with a higher incidence among occupational groups, including bank employees.


Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 171 bank employees selected from branches of HSBC, Public bank, CIMB, and Maybank. The study was conducted using a questionnaire survey distributed to the employees, and data was collected through Google form. The data collected was subsequently entered into Microsoft Excel and analysed using SPSS version 21.


Results: The results of this study indicated that 79.2% of bank employees suffered from low back pain. A higher prevalence of LBP was found in female employees than male employees. Additionally, work-related stress was associated with a higher prevalence of LBP. Other risk factors for LBP among bank employees included inadequate physical activity, poor sitting posture, and prolonged sitting hours.


Conclusion: The prevalence of low back pain among bank employees in Kuala Lumpur is high. According to this study, most of the respondents believe that inadequate rest intervals at work are a cause of the back pain. Psycho-social factors plays an important role in developing low back pain as stress increases the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorder.


 

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