Prevalence of low back pain among working Ethiopian population: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and objective Low back pain (LBP) as musculoskeletal disorder remains a common health problem and is one of the most prevalent occupational injuries affecting adults living in both developed and developing countries. To increase the power and improve the estimates of the prevalence of LBP among the working Ethiopian population, a comprehensive meta-analysis was carried out. Methods A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in multiple international electronic bibliographic databases such as Web of Science, Pub Med, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Population-based Studies into the Prevalence of LBP among the working population living in Ethiopia were included. Methodological quality for included studies was appraised using an adapted tool. Meta-analyses, Meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis were conducted. Funnel plot symmetry visualization followed by Begg’s rank correlation and Egger’s regression asymmetry test methods were performed to detect the existence of publication bias. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed by using the Cochrane Q and I2-statistics. Results In all 719 articles were identified and 13 articles with 6513 participants met the inclusion criteria for meta-analyses after filtering. The pooled point and twelve-month prevalence of LBP among working Ethiopian population was 49% (95% CI 40; 58) and 56% (95% CI 49; 62) respectively. Conclusion The results showed a high prevalence of LBP among working Ethiopian population, especially among Teachers. We believe that Prevention strategies addressing the early onset of LBP among the working population would most likely be the answer to the burden of LBP on future economies in Ethiopia.