Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate low back pain of housewives and to deteremine relationships between psychological status, education and physical health in housewives.
Materials and methods: Thirty premenopausal housewives aged 33-45 years with chronic low back pain were included and the control group consisted of 30 healthy premenopausal housewives. Physical examinations were performed. Age, height, weight, educational level, number of children, consumption of cigarettes and alcohol were recorded. The body mass index (BDI) was measured. The severity of back pain was measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), psychological status was evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and muscle strength by manual technique.
Results: There was no difference between demographic data of patients and controls. BDI scores of patients were significantly higher than the controls (p<0,01). Abdominal and dorsal muscle strength were higher in the control group but different was not significant. OBAS values in the patient group, were positively correlated with BDI and BMI (p= 0.011; p= 0.001, respectively), and negatively correlated with abdominal and dorsal muscle strength (p= 0.006 and p= 0.001). Significant correlations were found between abdominal and dorsal muscle strength and the BMI, ODI and BDI scores and high educational level positively affected the ODI and the BDI scores in patients.
Conclusion: The housewives with chronic back pain and do not exercise regularly limit activities of daily living. Because of higher BDI scores of patients with chronic low back pain, these patients should also undergo psychiatric examination.