Chronic Low Back Pain Among Tobacco Farmers in Southern Brazil
Despite tobacco farming involving intensive manual labor which exposes farmers to a variety of workloads, chronic low back pain (CLBP) prevalence and associated factors are unknown among this occupational group.
METHODS:
Cross-sectional study conducted in southern Brazil. A random sample of tobacco farmers were interviewed during the harvest season in 2011. Socio-economic and individual characteristics, occupational tasks and workloads as well as comorbidities were investigated. Individuals who reported low back pain for three months or more in the last year where considered positive for the outcome. CLBP prevalence was described according to independent variables and associated factors were examined via Poisson regression, according to a hierarchical model.
RESULTS:
CLBP prevalence was 8.4% (95% CI 7.3-9.5). Increasing age, rearing two or more species of livestock (PR 1.65; 95% CI 1.14-2.38), exposure to tasks that require a lot of physical exertion (PR 2.00; 95% CI 1.43-2.79), working in awkward postures (PR 1.36; 95%CI 1.02-1.82), green tobacco sickness(PR 1.63; 95% CI1.18-2.25), pesticide poisoning (PR 2.37; 95% CI 1.70-3.32) and minor psychiatric disorders (PR 2.55; 95% CI 1.88-3.47) were associated with CLBP.
CONCLUSIONS:
This is the first paper reporting CLBP prevalence and associated factors among tobacco farmers. The representative sample and high response rate ensures the quality of the results. The findings highlight the challenge for a more comprehensive research agenda concerning tobacco farmers’ health.