Risk Assessment of Low-back Trouble among Male Tannery Workers: A Study of Kanpur City, India

Background: Low Back Trouble (LBT) is very common among tannery workers, it occurs due to the bend posture of low back during the material transfer. Aim: This paper analyzes the prevalence of the self-reported LBT, its intensity and the potential risk factors among male tannery workers in Kanpur, India. Methods: Data for the study were obtained from a cross-sectional household survey conducted during the period January-June, 2015. The study was conducted in the Jajmau area of Kanpur and interviewed 284 tannery workers selected using scientifically developed study design using probability sampling approach. Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to assess the prevalence and intensity of LBT. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the potential risk factors for contracting LBT. Results: Tannery workers aged 35 years and above had higher prevalence of LBT (57%). A significant association was observed between long working 11-12 h and the prevalence was (68%) of LBT. Among the workers aged 35+years, about a sixth (16%) reported daily recurrence of pain, and about a fifth (19%) experienced pain more than 10 times in the last 12 months. Tannery workers who were injured at work in the last 12 months was 2.09 and 2.42 times more likely to get LBT in Model-II and III. The adjusted effect of LBT was 1.8 times higher among tannery workers had severe mental health disorders. Conclusions: The results reveal statistically significant association of LBT with age of tannery workers, educational attainments, type of job contract, type of work, daily working hours, manual loading and unloading, workplace injury in last 12 months and mental health disorders.