African Journal of
Medical and Health Sciences

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, ABAKALIKI, NIGERIA
  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Med. Health Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2384-5589
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJMHS
  • Start Year: 2017
  • Published Articles: 80

Full Length Research Paper

Back and upper body musculoskeletal pain and associated factors among medicine and nursing practicing students at university of Gondar, Ethiopia

Getasew Yirdaw
  • Getasew Yirdaw
  • Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
  • Google Scholar
Yonas Lamore
  • Yonas Lamore
  • Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia.
  • Google Scholar
Abate Lette
  • Abate Lette
  • Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Madda Walabu University, Bale Goba, Ethiopia.
  • Google Scholar
Sintayehu Daba
  • Sintayehu Daba
  • Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 02 July 2019
  •  Accepted: 02 June 2021
  •  Published: 31 July 2021

Abstract

Musculoskeletal pain are common problems for nursing and medicine students especially in developing countries. The study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of back and upper body musculoskeletal pain among nursing and medicine students at the University of Gondar. Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted. Stratified simple random sampling technique and structured self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. All questionnaires were entered into EPI™ version-7 then exported to SPSS™ version-20. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to ensure further significance with subsequent use of odds ratio to show the strength of the association with 95% (CIs). Magnitude of musculoskeletal pain in different body parts was 54% back pain and 36.7% neck pain. Sex difference (AOR: 0.607, 95% CI [0.062, 0.935]), alcohol consumption (AOR: 1.821, 95% CI [1.002, 4.130]), and sufficient rest break (AOR: 0.494, 95% CI [0.044, 4.202]) has significant association to back pain. Also, department (AOR: 3.399, 95% CI [1.340, 3.418]), year of study (AOR: 1.912, 95% CI [1.001, 5.349]) and sleep hours per day (AOR: 1.670, 95% CI [1.507, 4.801]) have significantly associated with neck pain. The overall magnitude of back pain and neck pain in medicine and nursing students were high. Therefore, interventions on organizational factors as well as personal factors should be done to reduce the burden of lower back and upper body musculoskeletal disorders.

Key words: Back pain, neck pain, musculoskeletal pain, upper body, university students.