Sunate Wongthanakit. Factors related to low back pain preventive behavior among nursing personnel in Governmental Hospitals, Nonthaburi province . Master's Degree(Public Health Nursing). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2004.
Factors related to low back pain preventive behavior among nursing personnel in Governmental Hospitals, Nonthaburi province
Abstract:
Low back pain is a serious problem among nurses, and its prevention depends
on low back pain preventive behavior. The objective of this research was to study low
back pain preventive behavior among nursing personnel and its relationship to
predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors and to determine the factors that are
predictors for lower back pain preventive behavior.
The sample consisted of 231 registered nurses and technical nurses in
Nonthaburi province, randomly selected by stratified sampling. A self-administered
questionnaire, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient, and stepwise
multiple regression analysis were used.
The study showed that 76 percent of the nurses had a moderate level of low
back pain preventive behavior. Among predisposing factors, it was found that nurses
with more knowledge about low back pain and positive attitudes toward its symptoms
and preventive behavior tended to have a higher level of low back pain preventive
behavior. Regarding enabling factors, nurses with more practical skills, more health
information, more accessibility to useful organization resources, and a better work
environment tended to have better low back pain preventive behavior .As to
reinforcing factors, nurses receiving encouragement from head nurses, colleagues and
family members tended to have better low back pain preventive behavior. About 36
percent of the variance of lower back pain preventive behavior could be statistically
explained by the level of practical skills, the amount of encouragement from head
nurses, colleagues, and family members, positive attitudes about low back pain; and
knowledge of low back pain, preventive behavior.
This study suggests that in order to increase the level of low back pain
preventive behavior, the hospital should promote knowledge about preventive
behavior in daily life and nursing work. Moreover, nurses should receive training to
improve their attitudes about and behavior towards low back pain prevention.
Guidelines for preventing low back pain should be provided. Head nurses, colleagues,
and family members should be encouraged to support the practice of low back pain
preventive behavior to promote a better quality of life.