Socio-Anthropometric Profile of Women with Chronic Low Back Pain in a Peri-Urban Environment in the City of Kisangani

Introduction: Low back pain constitutes a real public health problem and one of the causes of years lived with disability. This study aimed to determine the socio-anthropometric profile of women with chronic low back pain (cLBP) from Lubuya Bera in Kisangani and the characteristics of the loads they carried. Method: This was a Case-Control study of women aged 15 to 49, including 76 Cases. Data collection was prospective. Statistical inferences were made using Pearson’s chi-square, t-student and Mann Whitney Wilcoxon (MWW) tests. The OR was calculated with dichotomous variables adjusted to the 5% significance level. Variables with bivariate association were aligned in a multivariate model using a step-by-step ascending approach. Results: The Cases were of middle age (42.1 ± 6 years, t-student 0.001) and of low educational level (93%, t-student 0.001). Large multiparous (58%), multi-pregnancy (64%), polygamous (49%, X2 0.001), high average weight (58 ± 14 kg, t-student 0.002) and practicing agriculture (79%, X2 0.001) were more at risk. Early median age (9 - 10 years, MWW 0.001), high weekly frequency (5 - 6 times, MWW 0.021), weight carried (68.3 ± 21.5 kg, t-student 0.001) and duration of carrying (60 - 120 min, MWW 0.023) were significant. Carrying weight greater than 50 kg (OR 2.4; CI95 1.04 - 5.57; PValue 0.025), age at start of carrying less than 10 years (OR 8.5; CI95 3.8 - 19, 4; PValue 0.001) and frequency of weekly carrying more than 3 times (OR 5.4; 95% CI 2.1 - 15.8; PValue 0.004) were associated with cLBP. Conclusion: The woman with cLBP from Lubuya Bera in Kisangani was middle-aged, poorly educated, polygamous, highly multiparous, living from agriculture and carrying heavy loads almost daily.