Prevalence of Low Back Pain among Rice Farmers in a Rural Community in Thailand
Panada Taechasubamorn MSc*, Tawesak Nopkesorn MD*, Supasit Pannarunothai MD, PhD*
Affiliation : * Department of Community Family and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
Objective : To determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among rice farmers in a rural community in Phitsanulok,
Thailand.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 283 rice farmers in Wangnamkhu subdistrict, Muang
district, Phitsanulok province, a rural community in Lower Northern Thailand. Face-to-face interviews with a structured
closed-end questionnaire were performed to collect information on the presence of LBP in lifetime, within the last 12 months
prior to and at the time of the present study.
Results : The lifetime, 1-year (12-month) and point prevalence rates of LBP were 77%, 56% and 49%, respectively. No
relationship between age and LBP was found. However, women (61%) had significantly greater 1-year prevalence than men
(51%). Ninety-five percent of LBP rice farmers were chronic (experiencing pain longer than 12 weeks) with a mean duration
of 292 weeks (5.6 years).
Conclusion : The prevalence of LBP among Thai rice farmers is high. Further research should investigate risk factors
among this group of the population to design appropriate preventive measures.
Keywords : Low back pain, Prevalence, Farmers
