Volume 25, Issue 118, December 2021

The prevalence and factors associated with musculoskeletal pain among medical students at Ibn Sina National College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Intessar Sultan¹, Rania Mohammed Algouzi^2♦, Mozoon Abdullah Alasmari², Ruya Adel Abdullah²

¹Medicine Department, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
²Medical Intern, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Medical Intern, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP), especially low back pain (LBP); ranked one of the main leading causes of disability particularly among those with significant physical and psychological efforts. Objectives: The study aimed to describe the pattern of MSP among medical students and its underlying factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted online at out institution from April through June 2021. The survey included the demographic and clinical data, lifestyles, psychological conditions and the validated Oswestry low back pain questionnaire to assess the disability index. Results: Among 354 students, 51.1% had MSP mainly LBP (82.3%); and of minimal disability (72.9%). Students with MSP showed significantly higher BMI (p=0.000), duration of computer use (p=0.009), both depressive (p<0.001) and psychosomatic (p=0.013) symptoms, with lower smoking (p=0.047), and exercise duration (p=0.001). Moderate disability was reported in 27.1% with functional limitations in lifting, pain severity, and sitting. Only few students with MSP (21%) sought medical consultation. Significant predictors to disability index were age (OR: -0.22, 95% CI -2.21- -0.371, P=0.006), duration of computer use (OR: -0.15, 95% CI: -3.58- -0.06, P=0.043), medical consultation (OR: 0.29, 95% CI: 1.03-12.09, p=0.020), radiological (OR: -0.32, 95% CI: -16.24- -2.99, p=0.005), and laboratory investigation, (OR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.96-10.40, p=0.019). Conclusion: Our study provides an alarming finding of a high prevalence of MSP mainly LBP among medical students of both genders while, the pain significantly affects their daily activities and psychological condition.

Keywords: Musculoskeletal pain, Low back pain, Medical students, Disability, Functional limitations.

Medical Science, 2021, 25(118), 3489-3496

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