Association between Low Back Pain and Work and Lifestyle Variables among Fruit Farm Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent issue affecting agricultural workers.
• Understanding risk factors associated with specific job roles is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between work variables, lifestyle, and low back pain in grape farm workers.
• To compare the prevalence of low back pain between fruit packing and field workers.

Main Methods:

• An observational, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted.
• 180 active grape farm workers (field and fruit packing) participated.
• Low back pain (dependent variable) was assessed against personal, work, and lifestyle factors (independent variables).

Main Results:

• 44.1% of participants reported experiencing low back pain.
• Fruit packing workers were 1.53 times more likely to report low back pain compared to field workers.
• A significant association was found between job function and the presence of low back pain.

Conclusions:

• Fruit packing roles present a higher risk for low back pain among grape farm workers.
• Implementing workplace strategies, such as incorporating active breaks, is recommended to mitigate low back pain.
• Further research into specific ergonomic factors in fruit packing is warranted.