Prevalence of back pain among high school students: a cross-sectional study in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

ABSTRACT

Back pain among high school students all over the world is on the rise. It is one of the most underestimated public health problems in today's generation. The research was performed to determine the prevalence of back pain among high school students in Dubai, UAE. The study was done using convenience sampling, including a total of 184 students, both male and female from the grades 9 to 12. They were asked to fill out questionnaires which included a consent form to be signed by the parents. Descriptive statistics was performed to express the results. The results showed that more than half of the total population suffered from back pain. Furthermore, the results obtained established a link between various other variables such as the affected region and muscles of the back, age, grade [9-12] and gender. Considering the anatomical aspects of the back pain experienced, the region most affected as self-reported by the students, was the neck. Adolescents who belonged to 17 and above age group were reported to be more susceptible to back pain. Back pain was more prevalent in females than in males. Prevalence of back pain is a major issue in today's generation and awareness among the students is highly essential for early prevention