Low back pain and health-related quality of life in laborers

To clarify the risk factors of low back pain (LBP) in laborers, the relationship between LBP and life style and the impact of which LBP affects on the worker's quality of life (QOL), Self-reported questionnaires including a set of three sheets for LBP, life style and QOL was surveyed. 690 questionnaires were collected this time under the appropriate informed consent. Collecting rate was 94% and the reliability of LBP was 0.945. Previous history of LBP was one of the risk factors of LBP at present. The preventive knowledge of LBP was correlated with the preventive measures statistically significant. The main causes of LBP were carrying heavy goods, lifting them up, keeping same posture and driving which were self-recognized as the risk factors of LBP. LBP had no relationship with age and obesity. However, as for life style, there found many cases among the people who had untreated decayed tooth or mental stress in past one month. QOL of LBP group in SF36 was significantly lower in all 7 sub-scales and less measures than QOL of the group without LBP. It was realized from the national standard value that a workers' LBP affected mental health more than physical health.