A retrospective cross-sectional survey of non-specific lower back pain among a cohort of Chinese army soldiers.

Research Background: Nonspecific lower back pain (LBP) has been a major public health problem in western countries since the second half of the 20 t h century. The trend has expanded to non-western countries, and LBP is currently a significant cause of disability in the working population.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of nonspecific lower back pain (LBP) and its risk factors among soldiers in the Chinese army.

Methods: A total of 2876 Chinese army soldiers were requested to complete a self-administered questionnaire on demographic, anthropometric factors, and their non-specific LBP symptoms. The LBP evaluation and risk factor analysis were based on the self-questionnaire survey.

Results: The prevalence of non-specific LBP with physical state, one-child family, educational status, resident location and ethnicity were not associated (P > 0.05); while smoking, LBP history, LBP family history, nightmare frequency, sleep quality, and self-perceived fitness had significant effects on LBP (P < 0.05, Table 2). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that smoking (OR = 2.153,95% CI = 1.045-4.433), History of LBP (OR = 2.503,95% CI = 1.580-3.966), LBP family history (OR = 1.615,95%CI = 1.015-2.572), nightmare frequency (OR = 3.386, 95% CI = 2.047-5.603), sleep quality (OR = 2.391, 95% CI = 1.085-5.269) and self-perceived fitness (OR = 1.93,95%CI = 1.045-3.765) had significant effects on LBP (P < 0.05)) (Table 3).

Conclusions: Smoking, history of LBP, LBP family history, nightmare frequency, sleep quality, self-perceived fitness were important factors in the occurrence and persistence of LBP.