Factors associated with chronic back pain in adults in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To identify associations of chronic back pain with sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, body mass index, self-reported chronic diseases and health assessment, according to sex. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2013 National Health Survey, estimated the prevalence and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of chronic back pain, according to selected variables and performed adjustment by age and education. RESULTS: 18.5% of the Brazilian population reported chronic back pain, 15.5% (95%CI 14.7–16.4) of them being men and 21.1% (95%CI 20.2–22.0) being women. The characteristics that remained associated and statistically significant (p < 0.05) after adjustment, in men, were: age group, higher in men with 65 years or older (OR(a) = 6.06); low education level; living in rural area; history of smoking, high salt intake, increase in the time of heavy physical activity at work and at home; being overweight (OR(a) = 1.18) or obese (OR(a) = 1.26); diagnostic of hypertension (OR(a) = 1.42), high cholesterol (OR(a) = 1.60); and worse health assessment in comparison with very good (good [OR(a) = 1.48]; regular [OR(a) = 3.22]; poor [OR(a) = 5.00], very poor [OR(a) = 8.60]). Among women, they were: increase with age, higher among women with 55-64 years (OR(a) = 3.64); low education level; history of smoking, regular candy consumption, high salt intake, heavy physical activity at work and at home and increase in the time of these activities; being overweight (OR(a) = 1.23) or obese (OR(a) = 1.32); diagnosis of hypertension (OR(a) = 1.50), high cholesterol (OR(a) = 1.84); and worse health assessment than very good (good [OR(a) = 1.43]; regular [OR(a) = 3.16]; poor [OR(a) = 5.44], very poor [OR(a) = 8.19]). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point out differences by sex and contribute to the knowledge of the panorama of chronic back pain, which, besides affecting individuals, generate negative socioeconomic impacts, by causing work-related disabilities and hindering everyday activities.