LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Low Back Pain (LBP) is the most common musculoskeletal disorder, particularly among working adults It is one of the most prevalent complaints among students. Medical students, are among those who are most exposed to this condition; due to stress, numerous hours of studying , and the sedentary lifestyle. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence and the associated factors of LBP among the students of Tunis Faculty of Medicine and to assess its impact on student life. Methods This was a cross-sectional study carried out on the students of Tunis Faculty of Medicine. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire. Sociodemographic, personal, and lifestyle characteristics were collected. LBP was assessed using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire and Its impact using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS One hundred and forty-eight students were included. The mean age was 22.9 ± 2.3 years [19.64-38.21]. The sex ratio was 0.29. According to the Nordic questionnaire, the point, annual and lifetime prevalence of LBP were 37.8%, 80.4%, and 90.5% respectively. The mean ODI score was 10.32± 8.48 % [0-32]. The ODI score was minimal in 87.3% and moderate in 12.7% of cases. The associated factors with LBP were: young age (p = 0.015), spending more than 4 hours in a sitting position (p = 0.059), second cycle of medical studies (p= 0.006), low screen projection in the amphitheater (p= 0.029) and poor layout of the amphitheatres (p= 0.000). The feeling of depression was significantly higher among LBP students (p= 0.018). In the multivariate analysis, the factors that remained statistically significant were the second cycle of medical studies (OR= 3.41), feeling of depression (OR = 3.7) and the belief in the responsibility of the poor layout of the amphitheaters in the genesis or maintenance of LBP (OR = 7.66). CONCLUSION LBP in medical students is multifactorial across both personal and college-life domains.