ORIGINAL PAPER
Association between metabolic syndrome
and disability due to low back pain
among care workers
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1
Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan
(Department of Community Health Sciences)
2
Kobe University Hospital, Kobe, Japan
(Division of Rehabilitation Medicine)
3
National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
(Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders)
4
National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
(Medical Genome Center)
5
eveRehab Inc., Kyoto, Japan
Online publication date: 2017-09-28
Corresponding author
Rei Ono
Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Department of Community Health Sciences, 7-10-2 Tomogaoka, Suma-ward,
654-0142 Kobe, Japan
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2018;31(2):165-72
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: To elucidate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and disability due to low back pain (LBP)
among care workers. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 656 care workers having experienced LBP
in the year prior to the year of this study. The Roland-Morris Disability questionnaire (RDQ) and self-reported questionnaires
regarding LBP, fear of movement, depressive symptom, psychosocial factors, intensity of pain, and duration of pain
were administered, and a medical examination was performed. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the international
definition agreed in 2009. Out of the 656 care workers, we included 316 care workers (response rate: 48.2%) who had
fully completed the questionnaires as the study sample (males: 13.6%, median age = 51 years old, range: 35–74 years old).
To examine the association between MetS and the level of disability due to LBP, we used the Poisson regression analysis
and estimated crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). Results: Out of the 316 care workers, 52 (16.5%) were diagnosed
as having MetS. Metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with the RDQ score (adjusted PR: 1.57, 95% confidence
interval (CI): 1.17–2.11) after adjusting for covariates, such as age, sex, fear of movement, job demands, social support,
intensity of pain, and duration of pain. Conclusions: This study showed that MetS was independently associated with disability
due to LBP among care workers. A multidisciplinary intervention taking MetS into consideration may be an effective
way to reduce disability due to LBP in people with both LBP and MetS. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(2):165–172