The Effects of Workplace Interventions on Low Back Pain in Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Fabrizio Russo, Giuseppe Francesco Papalia, Gianluca Vadalà, Luca Fontana, Sergio Iavicoli, Rocco Papalia and Vincenzo Denaro
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Fabrizio Russo: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Giuseppe Francesco Papalia: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Gianluca Vadalà: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Luca Fontana: Department of Public Health, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80121 Naples, Italy
Sergio Iavicoli: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), 00078 Rome, Italy
Rocco Papalia: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy
Vincenzo Denaro: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 00128 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the effects of workplace interventions (WI) on clinical outcomes related to low back pain (LBP) in a worker population, and to assess socio-economic parameters as participants on sick leave, days of sick leave, and return to work following WI. A systematic literature search was performed to select randomized clinical trials that investigated the effectiveness of WI on return to work, sick leave, and working capacity of workers affected by nonspecific LBP. Fourteen articles were included in the review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed improvements in pain ( p = 0.004), disability ( p = 0.0008), fear-avoidance for psychical activity ( p = 0.004), and quality of life ( p = 0.001 for physical scale and p = 0.03 for mental scale) for patients who underwent WI compared to controls. Moreover, the pain reduction following WI was statistically significant in the healthcare workers’ group ( p = 0.005), but not in the other workers’ group. The participants on sick leave and the number of days of sick leave decreased in the WI group without statistical significance ( p = 0.85 and p = 0.10, respectively). Finally, LBP recurrence was significantly reduced in the WI group ( p = 0.006). WI led to a significant improvement of clinical outcomes in a workers’ population affected by LBP.

Keywords: workplace interventions; low back pain; workers; work ability; systematic review; meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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