Background: Low back pain is one of the common musculoskeletal health problems that occur most commonly in nurses among all Health workers. Different researches showed that nurses are suffering from low back pain due to many factors. This research was conducted to find the prevalence and contributing factors of low back pain among nurses. Method: The descriptive cross-sectional study was done among 110 nurses by using stratified proportionate random sampling method. Semi structured self-administered questionnaire with single and multiple responses was administered among nurses after taking informed consent. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) 20 was used for analysis of data. Descriptive statistic (percentage and frequency) and inferential statistic (chi square) was used for the study. Result: Among 110 nurses, 64.5% were affected from low back pain and prevalence of low back pain of one year and one week was 60% and 20% respectively. The present working area was strongly associated with low back pain (p=0.000). Prolong standing (64.54%), bending and twisting (64.54%), heavy workload (62.72%), working in same positions (58.18%) were perceived factors of low back pain but heavy mental workload had no relationship with low back pain. Taking rest (99.1%), physiotherapy (92.7%) and taking medication (82.7%) were the factors that decreased low back pain. There was increased work restriction (46.4) and less productive and creative (42.7) due to low back pain. Conclusion: More than half of nurses were affected from low back pain. Prolonged standing, physical workload, bending and twisting were main contributing factors. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain proper body mechanics, periodic screening and timely rotation of nurses for the prevention of low back pain.

Introduction: Inter-arm difference (IAD) in blood pressure is the difference in the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure between arms of an individual. Studies regarding IAD among elderly, pregnant women, patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes have been conducted but there are very limited studies carried out among young healthy adults. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the inter-arm blood pressure difference and its association with age, sex, BMI and family history of hypertension among Nepalese healthy young adults. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 230 students of Kantipur Dental College, Kathmandu, Nepal. Blood pressure was measured using a mercurial sphygmomanometer. Statistical analysis was done using paired t test, chi-square and Pearson’s correlation test using SPSS 16. Results: The absolute mean IAD for SBP was 5.03±3.88 mm Hg and for DBP was 3.84±3.77 mm Hg. There is significant inter-arm difference for SBP (t=4.882, p<0.001) but not for DBP. Inter-arm SBP difference was significantly associated with family history of hypertension (χ2 = 6.41, p=0.01) and positive but weakly correlated with age (r = +0.135, p=0.04). There is no significant association of inter-arm SBP difference with sex and BMI. Meanwhile, there is no statistically significant association of sex, family history of hypertension, age and BMI with inter-arm DBP. Conclusions: There is a significant inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference among the healthy young Nepalese adults and it is associated with the positive family history of hypertension and age.

Introduction: Body mass index is an important parameter associated with a variety of disease processes. The risk of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases increases with an increase in body mass index. The study was conducted to compare the relationship between body mass index and blood pressure. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and correlate the Obesity and Hypertension in    medical students  Methodology: The study was conducted in 200 students (113 males and 87 females). Height, weight and blood pressure were recorded from all participants and body mass index was calculated. The recorded body mass index was utilized to divide the student into underweight, normal, over weight and obese category according to the World Health organization body mass index classification. Hypertension was determined from the measure of blood pressure. Then comparison of blood pressure with body mass index was made. Results: Among 200 students 6% were obese, 22% were overweight, 65% were normal and 7% underweight. The mean height was 163cm and mean weight 60.48kg. The mean value of systolic blood pressure (105.85, 115.45, 134.95, 137.16 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (70.14, 76.15, 90.72, 93.33 mmHg) increased with increasing body mass index. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity increases the risk of hypertension among students.

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