Health-Related Quality of Life Among Industrial Workers Experiencing Low Back Pain

Abstract

Background and Aim. Occupational low back pain (LBP) has emerged as an increasing health concern and is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders among industrial workers and may significantly impair daily functioning, work productivity, and overall quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of health-related quality of life among industrial workers experiencing low back pain.

Methods. The study included 236 healthy working-age participants (25–65 years), consisting of 144 women and 92 men employed in eight industrial companies whose main activity was manufacturing. Participants completed the SF-36 Questionnaire to assess health-related quality of life and a Pain Questionnaire to evaluate low back pain. The study was approved by the Kaunas Regional Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (No. BE-2-38). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (Version 26.0). 

Results. The findings revealed a tendency for men to rate the physical health domains of quality of life more positively than women. A statistically significant difference was observed on the pain scale: men reported lower pain levels (mean score 78.4 ± 2.0) compared with women (mean score 69.5 ± 2.0) (p < 0.05). Participants experiencing low back pain evaluated several physical health-related quality-of-life domains worse compared with the control group. Women with low back pain assessed mental health-related quality-of-life domains similarly to women in the control group. However, men experiencing low back pain reported poorer scores in vitality and role limitations due to emotional problems compared with men in the control group.

Conclusions. Low back pain negatively affects the health-related quality of life of industrial workers. Although not all quality-of-life indicators were statistically significantly lower among participants experiencing back pain compared with the control group, most quality-of-life domains were negatively influenced by the presence of low back pain.

Keywords: Low back pain; health-related quality of life; industrial workers; SF-36 Questionnaire