The prevalence of Occupational-related low back pain among working populations in Sub- Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Industrial workers frequently encounter a range of musculoskeletal issues, particularly in activities associated with production processes. Low back pain constitutes the primary issue in the majority of musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, our study aims to identify the overall prevalence of work-related low back pain among the working population in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis considered studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa, written in English, and published from 2010 to 2023. Articles were searched from electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, African Journals Online database, and Science Direct) using a combination of Boolean logic operators, and main keywords. The quality assessment of the articles was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools to determine the relevance of the articles to the study. A random effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence, the 95% confidence interval, and the degree of heterogeneity among the included studies. Sensitivity analyses were performed to identify the influence of outliers and to identify sources of heterogeneity. Results In this study, a total of 970 articles were retrieved, and 35 studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall estimated pooled prevalence of low back pain among the working population in sub-Saharan Africa was (55.05% [95% CI: 49.34, 60.76]). Based on a sub-group analysis by countries where the studies were conducted, the higher pooled prevalence of low back pain was found in Uganda at (61.48% [95% CI: 40.39, 82.57]), while the lower pooled prevalence of low back pain was in Ghana at (34.48% [95% CI: 17.96, 51.01]). Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis found that 55.05% of the included study participants experienced low back pain in the previous years. Therefore, it is recommended that policymakers incorporate and enhance strategies for the prevention and management of low back pain within the health system management guidelines of each country.