Determining frequency of LOW back pain and effect of informing intervention about appropriate working position among workers in a public institution

In this study, it is aimed to give to give information about appropriate working position to the workers of four departments at general directorate central campus of an institution who have low back pain for last 3 months and to determine the effect of this intervention on frequency and level of pain and functionality. This study was carried out in two stages as cross sectional and interventional study. Data were collected in September 2017 and December 2017 using face to face interview method. Informing conferences that include distributing 4 brochures were conducted between October 2017 and November 2017. 409 persons participated in the study and 141 of them who had low back pain for last 3 months formed the intervention group. 56.2% of 409 participants were men and 56.0% were faculty/high school graduates. 59.7% of the participants noted that they usually perform desk work. After applying logistic regression analysis, we found that low back pain is 3,25 times more frequent among women than men, and 2,41 times more frequent among workers who has non communicable disease, 1,61 times more frequent among workers who have sleep problems then who doesn't and 2,44 times more frequent among workers who work in at least one appropriate position then who never work in appropriate position. Among workers who attended informing conference and read at least one brochure, mean VAS score and mean Roland Morris questionnaire score of the participants who have low back pain were 5,97±1,2 and 8,91±1,3 before intervention and 5,03±1,1 and 8,91±1,3(p<0,001) after intervention (respectively). The difference in the same direction was determined among workers who didn't attend the conference but read at least one brochure (p=0,04, p=0,007), but no difference was determined among workers who didn't attend any of these two intervention (p>0,05). Considering the effect of intervention, this result shows that implementation of intervention with health promotion approach at work place is an appropriate method for reducing complaints of low back pain and increasing functionality. Key Words: Low Back Pain, Worker Health, Interventional Study, Health Promotion