Prevalence, Associated Risk Factors of Low Back Pain and its Impact on the Activities of Daily Living Among College Students: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

College students are at a high risk of low back pain (LBP) for a multitude of reasons, including mechanical, physical, behavioral, and psychological factors. Low back discomfort in students is caused by anthropometric traits, gender, computer use, classroom furnishings, and ergonomic issues, particularly sitting position. Long periods of sitting have been linked to the development of low back discomfort. The goal of this study was to find out how common low back pain is among college students, as well as its related risk factors and influence on everyday activities. In a selected nursing institution in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, a descriptive study was done on 60 easily recruited college students aged 18 to 24 years.  The researchers employed a structured questionnaire including questions about demographics, prevalence, risk factors, and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMQD) to find the impact of low back pain. Out of the 60 students who were questioned, 48 (or 80%) said they were suffering from low back pain. Point, 12-month and lifetime prevalence were 45.8%, 41.7% and 12.5% respectively There were 24 people who reported moderate pain (50%) and 20 people who reported mild pain (41.65%). Correct posture, prolonged sitting hours, psychosocial factors like stress, individual factors like no milk intake and less exposure to sunlight, and clinical activity-related factors like standing for more than 4 hours while on clinical duty and poor body mechanics while performing nursing interventions were found to be the most common risk factors for low back pain. 18 (37.5%) had a mild disability in performing daily activities, 12 (25%) had a moderate disability, and 6 (12.5%) had a severe disability in doing daily activities. The majority of nursing students (45.8%) missed college due to low back pain. According to the findings, there is a high frequency of LBP among college students.