The prevalence and risk factors of low back pain in rural community residents of Korea.

STUDY DESIGN: A community-based, cross-sectional study that is part of the prospective Korean Health and Genome Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among middle-aged and elderly rural community residents in Korea and to examine the relevant risk factors, including activities reflecting the Asian lifestyle, and the relationship between radiographical features of degenerative changes in the lumbar spine and LBP.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The prevalence and implication of LBP among the elderly, particularly Asians, are under-represented in previous reports.

METHODS: Data for LBP were collected for 4181 subjects from a rural farming community. The point and cumulative lifetime prevalences of LBP were obtained in addition to measurement of the severity of LBP. Lateral lumbar spine radiographs were obtained according to a standard protocol.

RESULTS: The mean age of the study subjects was 56 years and 55% were women. The lifetime prevalence of LBP was 61.3%, with women having a higher prevalence. The point and 6-month prevalences were also higher among women. The lifetime, point, and 6-month prevalences increased with age in both sexes, except for lifetime prevalence in men. The prevalence of LBP of grade 3 or more was significantly higher in women and increased significantly with age, particularly in women. Both lifetime and point of prevalence of LBP were significantly associated with age, female sex, and time spent squatting. After adjusting for age and sex, the presence of disc space narrowing, osteophytes, and advanced Kellgren-Lawrence grade in lumbar radiograph was associated with LBP.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of LBP is comparable between these Korean community residents and other population groups. Risk factors associated with LBP included advanced age, female sex, squatting, the presence of osteophytes, joint space narrowing, and advanced Kellgren-Lawrence grading on lumbar radiograph.