Effort-Reward Imbalance and Low Back Pain Among Industrial Workers: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) in workers is a leading cause of disability and loss of work time, adversely affecting job performance and overall well-being. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the potential role of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) as a risk factor for the development of LBP among workers.

Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among industrial workers (n = 1127) in Tehran province. Data were collected using 3 different questionnaires-an occupational-sociodemographic questionnaire, the van Vegchel version of the ERI questionnaire, and the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (DMQ). Workers who reported experiencing pain in the past 12 months and the past 7 days were classified as having LBP. To assess the relationship between ERI and other independent factors with LBP, univariate logistic regression was employed. Subsequently, to adjust for the effects of influential factors on the dependent variable, a multiple logistic regression model with backward elimination was utilized.

Results: Out of 1127 participants, 1015 (90.06%) were men. The prevalence of ERI among the participants was 60.69%. The results of the multivariate logistic regression model indicated that having ERI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.985 [95% CI, 1.994-4.470]; P < 0.001), having accident experience (AOR, 3.338 [95% CI, 2.378-4.685]; P < 0.001), and being married (AOR, 1.602 [95% CI, 1.028- 2.498]; P = 0.037) were associated with an increased risk of LBP among industrial workers.

Conclusion: Similar to findings in other countries and various occupational studies, ERI was prevalent among industrial workers in Iran. Additionally, we found that ERI is a significant risk factor for LBP.