Work ability and low back pain among workers from a public health institution

This study investigated the association among low back pain and the work ability. A cross-sectional study was developed covering all workers from a public health institution (n = 651). They answered a questionnaire on demographics, work, lifestyle characteristics and work ability. The evaluation of work ability was developed with the work ability index (WAI). An univariate logistic regression analysis was carried out having the presence of the studied disease as a dependent variable and showed association in relation to the following WAI items: low work ability in relation to physical demands of the work, high estimated work impairment due to diseases, high sickness absence, low own prognosis of work ability two years from now and poor mental resources. The presence of low back pain affected several aspects of the work ability.