Affiliations: [a]
Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| [b]
Occupational Health Engineering Department, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| [c]
Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Hadi Daneshmandi, Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Shiraz Univ. Med. Sci., P.O.Box: 71645-111, Shiraz, I.R.Iran. Tel.: +98 71 37251001; Fax: +98 71 37260225; E-mail: daneshmand@sums.ac.ir.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:There are a few studies conducted on job stress dimensions and their relationship with Low Back Pain (LBP) among Iranian nurses. OBJECTIVE:The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between job stress dimensions assessed via Demand-Control-Social Support (DCS) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models and prevalence of LBP among Iranian hospital nurses. METHODS:In this cross-sectional study, 495 randomly selected nurses of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) participated. Demographic/occupational questionnaire, the Persian version of the Job Content Questionnaire (P-JCQ) and the Persian version of the ERI Questionnaire (P-ERIQ) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 19) using descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, and logistic regression. RESULTS:The LBP prevalence was found to be 69.9%. The means±standard deviations of job stress dimensions were obtained as follows: decision latitude: 64.67±6.82, physical job demands: 15.52±2.6, social support: 23.18±3.65, psychological job demands: 38.02±4.98, effort: 8.73±2.62, reward: 23.12±5.31, over-commitment: 12.25±3.09, and effort-reward ratio: 0.86±0.3. The findings revealed that the work experience (OR = 1.56), psychological job demands (OR = 1.082), and effort-reward ratio (OR = 3.43) were predictors for LBP among the study population. CONCLUSION:The prevalence rate of LBP among studied nurses was high. About half of nurses had high psychological demands, low decision latitude and low social support. Based on the effort-reward ratio, nurses had experienced high level of stress. Interventional programs and coping strategies for reduction of work-related stress and, subsequently, prevention of LBP are recommended among hospital nurses.
