Back disorders and lumbar load in nursing staff in geriatric care: a comparison of home-based care and nursing homes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Back pain is one of the most frequent complaints in the nursing profession. Thus, the 12-month prevalence of pain in the lumbar spine in nursing staff is as high as 76%. Only a few representative studies have assessed the prevalence rates of back pain and its risk factors among nursing staff in nursing homes in comparison to staff in home-based care facilities. The present study accordingly investigates the prevalence in the lumbar and cervical spine and determines the physical workload to lifting and caring in geriatric care.

Methods

1390 health care workers in nursing homes and home care participated in this cross sectional survey. The nursing staff members were examined by occupational physicians according to the principals of the multistep diagnosis of musculo

SUBMITTER: Kromark K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2801493 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature