prevalence of low back pain among health wotker of bharatput metropolitan city
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prevalence low back pain health workers Bharatpur metropolitan city Nepal study
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low back pain prevalence healthcare workers Chitwan Bharatpur Nepal hospital study 2022 2023 2024
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Here is a thorough synthesis of what is known about the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among health workers in Bharatpur and comparable Nepali settings.
Prevalence of Low Back Pain Among Health Workers of Bharatpur Metropolitan City
Key Study - Bharatpur, Nepal (Direct Evidence)
The most directly relevant published study comes from College of Medical Sciences (CMS) Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur, Nepal (Manandhar & Subedi, 2016, SCIREA Journal of Health, Vol. 1, Issue 1):
| Finding | Result |
|---|---|
| Study design | Descriptive cross-sectional |
| Study population | Nurses (all female) |
| Study period | July 2015 |
| Overall LBP prevalence | 75.7% |
| Highest prevalence age group | 20-25 years (67.9% of affected) |
| Standing duration linked to LBP | 6-8 hours/day (75.47% of cases) |
| Marital status | 74.28% unmarried, 25.72% married |
Key risk factors identified: Prolonged standing, poor ergonomics, lack of appropriate equipment, poor work postures, and overuse of back stabilizer muscles.
Conclusion from the study: "Occupational daily work tasks of nurses have a great impact in exposing them to this occupational hazard because of many different reasons. Firstly, the uncomfortable conditions of work caused by the lack of appropriate equipment that might protect them from ergonomic stressors..."
The full paper is available at the SCIREA Journal of Health.
Comparative Data from Nepal and Similar Settings
| Study | Setting | Population | LBP Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manandhar & Subedi (2016) | CMS Hospital, Bharatpur | Nurses | 75.7% |
| Dumre et al. (2025) | Nepal Police Hospital, Kathmandu | Nurses | 74.6% |
| Shahi et al. (2024/25) | Grande International Hospital, Kathmandu | All health workers | 69-87.3% |
| Adhikari & Dhakal (2014) | Sahid Gangalal National Heart Centre | Nurses | Published data |
| Zaitoon et al. (2024) | General hospital setting | Nurses | 82% (lifetime) |
| Ethiopian study (Dove Medical) | University of Gondar Hospital | All HCWs | 57.46% |
| Nepal national average (WHO STEPS, 2019) | General population | Adults 15-69 yrs | 23.2% (activity-limiting) |
Risk Factors for LBP Among Health Workers in Nepal/Bharatpur
Occupational factors:
- Prolonged standing (6-8 hours most strongly linked)
- Patient lifting and manual handling
- Repetitive bending and twisting
- Poor workplace ergonomics and lack of assistive equipment
Individual/demographic factors:
- Female sex (higher risk - AOR ~1.81 in comparable studies)
- Married status (associated in multiple studies)
- Working >60 hours/week
- Younger age (20-30 years most affected in Nepal studies, likely due to heavier clinical workloads)
Work-environment factors:
- Ward type (medicine and ICU highest risk)
- Lack of chair with backrest
- Inadequate support/assistive devices
Context: Why Bharatpur Health Workers Are at High Risk
Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the headquarters of Chitwan District and Province No. 3, hosts several major hospitals including CMS Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur Hospital (a major provincial referral centre), and multiple private facilities. Health workers in these settings face:
- High patient-to-staff ratios - Nepal has fewer than 1 physiotherapist per 20,000 people, meaning health workers compensate with physically demanding manual tasks
- Limited ergonomic infrastructure - Developing-country hospital settings often lack patient lifting devices and height-adjustable beds
- Long shift hours - Many Nepali nurses report working >60 hours/week
- LBP as the #1 disability cause in Nepal - Since 2005, years lived with disability from LBP in Nepal increased by 16.9%, per Journal of Global Health analysis
Summary
The prevalence of LBP among health workers in Bharatpur is approximately 75.7% based on the CMS Teaching Hospital study - one of the highest rates reported in Nepal. This aligns with the general pattern across Nepali and South Asian hospital settings (range: 57-87%). Nurses working in clinical wards with prolonged standing and heavy patient handling are at greatest risk. Preventive strategies should focus on ergonomic equipment, job rotation, proper body mechanics training, and limiting consecutive hours of standing work.
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