Abstract

OBESITY AS A FACTOR FOR PROLONGING DISABILITY DUE TO LUMBAR PAIN IN PATIENTS ATTENDED IN A FAMILY MEDICINE UNIT IN MEXICO

Salvador Huerta Aguilar, Rocío del Carmen Rosales Soria, Flor Azucena Leyva Mantes, Carmen Gorety Soria Rodríguez, Javier Carmona Mota and José D. Méndez

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Abstract

Low back pain is a public health problem, it generates an increase in the use of resources and contributes to absenteeism from work. Obese people often require prolonged disability due to this cause. This study was designed to investigate whether obesity contributes to the prolongation of disability due to low back pain. Information from clinical records of patients attending a Family Medicine Unit of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in the city of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, with a diagnosis of low back pain plus obesity (BMI > 30); Group 1 (Cases; n = 88) and with a diagnosis of low back pain without obesity; Group 2 (Control; n = 170) was included. Several variables such as weight, height, body mass index, age, sex, smoking, occupation and intensity of work activity and pharmacological treatment were also considered. The disability was assessed with a Temporary Certificate for Work and Access to the Subsidy and Aid System. The average number of days of disability for patients in Group 1 was higher than that of Group 2 (7.55 ± 9.45 vs 5.05 ± 7.07, p = 0.0087), like that observed in those who had moderate work activity (12.4 ± 9.02 vs 5.93 ± 6.92, p

Keywords: Low Back Pain, Obesity, Risk Factor, Disability Evaluation.