Low back pain in university students: what is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-2950/220109100922PTKeywords:
Low Back Pain, COVID-19, Social Isolation, StudentsAbstract
The social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the population's habits and raised health-related issues, such as low back pain. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and risk of chronic low back pain in university students during the social isolation of COVID-19. An online questionnaire was used. The STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST) was used to check for low back pain. The factors investigated were sociodemographic data, information about pain, and information about sedentary behavior and physical activity. The chi-square test was used for proportion heterogeneity. The adjusted analysis was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance. The sample consisted of 208 students. University students with a partner were twice as likely to have pain (PR=2.07; 95%CI) compared to single students. The prevalence of low back pain was 48.1%; 87% (PR=1.87; 95%CI: 1.09-3.21; p=0.027) higher in women when compared to men. University students with sedentary behavior were 35% more likely to have low back pain (PR=1.36; 95%CI: 1.02-1.81; p=0.038); and obese individuals were 42% more likely (PR=1.42; 95%CI: 1.04-1.94; p=0.032). The risk of chronicity was low in 82% of the sample. Low back pain was present in the lives of many people during the social isolation imposed by COVID-19. It is a common, limiting problem that must be considered and treated as a health and research priority.
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Copyright (c) 2022 Patrícia Cilene Freitas Sant’Anna, Tissiani Morimoto Morimoto, Fernanda de Salles Fernanda de Salles Fernanda de Salles Miranda, Anderson da Silva Garcez
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