Title: Occupational Health among Paramedics
Authors: Hamad H Al Anazi, Mohamed D Al Asmri, Helal S Alanazi, Mohamed A Al Anazi, Turki A Al Qahtani
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v11i6.01
Abstract
Background: Lower back pain is reported as a major contributor to work-related sick leaves among paramedical staff, there has been an increase in the number of published papers investigating the prevalence of lower back pain among various categories of health workers in different parts of Saudi Arabia with a wide variation ranging from 46.5% to 92.6%.
Aim: To review current knowledge relating to the occurrence of lower back pain and its associated risk factors in the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia
Materials and Methods: A search of the literature was conducted in PubMed for relevant publications using
Results: Recommended strategies that may decrease the risk of LBP such as shorter working hours and improved ergonomics.
Conclusion: The findings of the current study suggest a high prevalence of lower back pain among paramedics that requires future studies to focus on identifying the biomechanical and ergonomic risk factors of LBP and on designing prevention programs to reduce the incidence of LBP
Keywords: Back pain, Paramedic, Management of pain, Occupational Diseases, epidemiology.
References
- Abolfotouh, M., Alomair, F., Alangari, D., Bushnak, I., Aldebasi, B., & Almansoof, A. (2021). Epidemiology of work-related lower back pain among rehabilitation professionals in Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit, 27(4), 390–398. https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.21.019
- Adib-Hajbaghery, M., & Zohrehea, J. (2013). Back pain among paramedics: a pilot study. Nursing and midwifery studies, 2(4), 103–104. https://doi.org/10.5812/nms.12195
- Al Amer H. S. (2020). Low back pain prevalence and risk factors among health workers in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of occupational health, 62(1), e12155. https://doi.org/10.1002/1348-9585.12155
- Crill, M. T., & Hostler, D. (2005). Back strength and flexibility of EMS providers in practicing prehospital providers. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 15(2), 105–111. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-005-1213-0
- Hegewald, J., Berge, W., Heinrich, P., Staudte, R., Freiberg, A., Scharfe, J., Girbig, M., Nienhaus, A., & Seidler, A. (2018). Do Technical Aids for Patient Handling Prevent Musculoskeletal Complaints in Health Care Workers?-A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(3), 476. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030476
- Occupational health. (2022). Retrieved 27 May 2022, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/occupational-health
- Pek, E., Fuge, K., Marton, J., Banfai, B., Gombos, G. C., & Betlehem, J. (2015). Cross-sectional survey on self-reported health of ambulance personnel. Scandinavian journal of trauma, resuscitation and emergency medicine, 23, 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-015-0087-1
- Rezaei, B., Mousavi, E., Heshmati, B., & Asadi, S. (2021). Low back pain and its related risk factors in health care providers at hospitals: A systematic review. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012), 70, 102903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102903
- Zhang, Q., Dong, H., Zhu, C., & Liu, G. (2019). Low back pain in emergency ambulance workers in tertiary hospitals in China and its risk factors among ambulance nurses: a cross-sectional study. BMJ open, 9(9), e029264. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029264