Mengistu Dechasa Adare, Mulugeta Demmu Yohannes, Alemu Addisu
Department of Environmental Health, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
Environ Health Insights. 2021 Dec 23;15:11786302211067839. doi: 10.1177/11786302211067839. eCollection 2021.
Back pain, such as upper and low back pain are among the most common musculoskeletal conditions that can cause major public health and socioeconomic problems. Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability that reduces worker performance and well-being and increases absence from work, which can cause an enormous economic burden. In developing countries, particularly in Ethiopia, there is no adequate evidence on the overall prevalence of occupational-related upper and low back pain, and they remain less prioritized and empirically unrepresented. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of occupational-related upper and low back pain among the working population of Ethiopia.
This systematic review and meta-analysis considered studies conducted in Ethiopia, written in English, and published from 2017 to 2020. Articles were searched from 9 electronic databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS, PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, African Index Medicus, African Journals Online database, and Science Direct) using a combination of Boolean logic operators, Medical Subject Headings, and main keywords. The quality assessment of the articles was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools to determine the relevance of the articles to the study. A random effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence, the 95% confidence interval, and the degree of heterogeneity among the included studies. Sensitivity analyses were performed to identify the influence of outliers and to identify sources of heterogeneity.
Of the 1114 studies identified from the included databases, 20 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of occupational-related upper and low back pain in the previous year was (27.1% [95% CI: 18.4, 37.9]) and (54.2% [95% CI: 48.2, 60.0]), respectively. Based on a subgroup analysis by publication year, study population, and regions where the studies were conducted, the prevalence of upper back pain was (43.8% [95% CI: 39.3, 47.7]), (34.7% [95% CI: 33.1, 36.2]), and (36.2% [95% CI: 33.6, 39.0]), respectively, while the prevalence of low back pain was (61.8% [95% CI: 58.9, 64.6], (52.8% [95% CI: 51.3, 54.3]), and (55.2% [95% CI: 51.4, 59.0]), respectively.
This systematic review and meta-analysis found that 54.2% of the included study participants experienced low back pain in the previous year, while 27.1% experienced upper back pain. The highest prevalence was reported among pedestrian back-loading women.
背痛，如腰背痛和胸背痛，是最常见的肌肉骨骼疾病之一，会引发重大的公共卫生和社会经济问题。背痛是导致残疾的主要原因之一，它会降低工作效率，影响员工的身心健康，并增加缺勤率，从而造成巨大的经济负担。在发展中国家，尤其是埃塞俄比亚，关于职业相关的腰背痛和胸背痛的总体患病率尚无充分证据，而且这些问题在工作中仍未得到足够重视，也缺乏实证研究。因此，本研究旨在确定埃塞俄比亚劳动人口中职业相关的腰背痛和胸背痛的患病率。
本系统评价和荟萃分析纳入了2017年至2020年期间在埃塞俄比亚开展的、以英文撰写并发表的研究。通过结合布尔逻辑运算符、医学主题词和主要关键词，在9个电子数据库（科学引文索引、Scopus数据库、PubMed、谷歌学术、护理学与健康领域数据库、考克兰图书馆、非洲医学索引、非洲期刊在线数据库和ScienceDirect）中检索文章。使用乔安娜·布里格斯循证卫生保健中心的批判性评价工具对文章进行质量评估，以确定文章与本研究的相关性。采用随机效应模型估计合并患病率、95%置信区间以及纳入研究之间的异质性程度。进行敏感性分析以识别异常值的影响并确定异质性来源。
在所纳入数据库中识别出的1114项研究中，有20项研究被纳入系统评价和荟萃分析。上一年职业相关的胸背痛和腰背痛的合并患病率分别为（27.1% [95%置信区间：18.4，37.9]）和（54.2% [95%置信区间：48.2，60.0]）。根据发表年份、研究人群以及开展研究的地区进行亚组分析，胸背痛的患病率分别为（43.8% [95%置信区间：39.3，47.7]）、（34.7% [95%置信区间：33.1，36.2]）和（36.2% [95%置信区间：33.6，39.0]），而腰背痛的患病率分别为（61.8% [95%置信区间：58.9，64.6]）、（52.8% [95%置信区间：51.3，54.3]）和（55.2% [95%置信区间：51.4，59.0]）。
本系统评价和荟萃分析发现，在所纳入的研究参与者中，上一年有54.2%的人经历过腰背痛，27.1%的人经历过胸背痛。据报告，背负重物步行的女性患病率最高。
