IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i5p2964-d763428.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Scoping Review on the Epidemiology of Chronic Low Back Pain among Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Morris Kahere

    (Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Mbuzeleni Hlongwa

    (Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
    Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa)

  • Themba G. Ginindza

    (Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa)

Abstract

Background: The global burden of chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major concern in public health. Several CLBP epidemiological studies have been conducted in high-income-countries (HICs) with little known in low-and-middle-income-countries (LMICs) due to other competing priorities of communicable diseases. The extrapolation of results of studies from HICs for use in LMICs is difficult due to differences in social norms, healthcare systems, and legislations, yet there is urgent need to address this growing burden. It is against this backdrop that we conducted this review to map the current evidence on the distribution of CLBP in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted from the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct databases, World Health Organizations library databases, EMBASE, EBSCOhost by searching the following databases within the platform; academic search complete, CINAHL with full text, health sources: nursing/academic and MEDLINE. The title, abstract and the full text screening phases were performed by two independent reviewers with the third reviewer employed to adjudicate discrepancies. The reference list of all included articles was also searched for eligible articles. This scoping review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation, as well as guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework. A thematic content analysis was used to give a narrative account of the review. Results: The electronic search strategy retrieved 21,189 articles. Title/abstract and full text screening only identified 11 articles, which were included in this review. The prevalence of CLBP among the general population ranged from 18.1% to 28.2% and from 22.2% to 59.1% among LBP patients. The prevalence of occupation based CLBP ranged from 30.1% to 55.5%. Identified risk factors for CLBP are multifactorial and included biomechanical, psychological, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, with psychosocial factors playing a significant role. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peptic ulcer disease were the most common comorbidities identified. CLBP disability was significantly associated with psychosocial factors. The management of CLBP in primary care follows the traditional biomedical paradigm and primarily involves pain medication and inconsistent with guidelines. Conclusions: There are limited epidemiological data on CLBP in SSA, however, this study concluded that the prevalence and risk factors of CLBP in SSA are comparable to reports in HICs. Considering the projected increase in the burden of CLBP in LMICs extensive research effort is needed to close this knowledge gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Morris Kahere & Mbuzeleni Hlongwa & Themba G. Ginindza, 2022. "A Scoping Review on the Epidemiology of Chronic Low Back Pain among Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2964-:d:763428
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/5/2964/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/5/2964/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mojtaba Vaismoradi & Hannele Turunen & Terese Bondas, 2013. "Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 398-405, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Emmanuel Songsore & Michael Buzzelli, 2016. "Ontario’s Experience of Wind Energy Development as Seen through the Lens of Human Health and Environmental Justice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Ana Cristina Lindsay & Sherrie F. Wallington & Faith D. Lees & Mary L. Greaney, 2018. "Exploring How the Home Environment Influences Eating and Physical Activity Habits of Low-Income, Latino Children of Predominantly Immigrant Families: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, May.
    3. Borch, Kristian & Munk, Anders K. & Dahlgaard, Vibeke, 2020. "Mapping wind-power controversies on social media: Facebook as a powerful mobilizer of local resistance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    4. Caro Wolfner & Corilyn Ott & Kalani Upshaw & Angela Stowe & Lisa Schwiebert & Robin Gaines Lanzi, 2023. "Coping Strategies and Help-Seeking Behaviors of College Students and Postdoctoral Fellows with Disabilities or Pre-Existing Conditions during COVID-19," Disabilities, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, February.
    5. Christopher Mulwanda & Vincent R. Nyirenda & Ngawo Namukonde, 2024. "Traditional ecological knowledge, perceptions and practices on insect pollinator conservation: A case of the smallholder farmers in Murundu ward of Mufulira mining district of Zambia," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 14(1), pages 24-35, March.
    6. Rebecca A. Johnson & David L. Albright & James R. Marzolf & Jessica L. Bibbo & Hayley D. Yaglom & Sandra M. Crowder & Gretchen M. Carlisle & Karen Grindler & Nathan Harms & Amy Willard & Marita Wassma, 2021. "Experiences of Military Veterans in a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 30(7), pages 923-933, September.
    7. Oliver Laasch & Dirk C. Moosmayer & Frithjof Arp, 2020. "Responsible Practices in the Wild: An Actor-Network Perspective on Mobile Apps in Learning as Translation(s)," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 253-277, January.
    8. Grazia Salvo & Bonnie M. Lashewicz & Patricia K. Doyle-Baker & Gavin R. McCormack, 2018. "Neighbourhood Built Environment Influences on Physical Activity among Adults: A Systematized Review of Qualitative Evidence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, May.
    9. Chilombo, Andrew & Van Der Horst, Dan, 2021. "Livelihoods and coping strategies of local communities on previous customary land in limbo of commercial agricultural development: Lessons from the farm block program in Zambia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    10. Sandra Carrasco & David O’Brien, 2023. "Build Back Safely: Evaluating the Occupational Health and Safety in Post-Disaster Reconstruction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, May.
    11. Arianna Magon & Cristina Arrigoni & Tiziana Roveda & Paola Grimoldi & Federica Dellafiore & Marco Moia & Kehinde O Obamiro & Rosario Caruso, 2018. "Anticoagulation Knowledge Tool (AKT): Further evidence of validity in the Italian population," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(8), pages 1-14, August.
    12. Borja García-Lorenzo & Ania Gorostiza & Nerea González & Igor Larrañaga & Maider Mateo-Abad & Ana Ortega-Gil & Janika Bloemeke & Oliver Groene & Itziar Vergara & Javier Mar & Sarah N. Lim Choi Keung &, 2023. "Assessment of the Effectiveness, Socio-Economic Impact and Implementation of a Digital Solution for Patients with Advanced Chronic Diseases: The ADLIFE Study Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    13. Diego De Leo & Benedetta Congregalli & Annalisa Guarino & Josephine Zammarrelli & Anna Valle & Stefano Paoloni & Sabrina Cipolletta, 2022. "Communicating Unexpected and Violent Death: The Experiences of Police Officers and Health Care Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-14, September.
    14. Alvisa Palese & Erica Visintini & Valentina Bressan & Federico Fonda & Stefania Chiappinotto & Luca Grassetti & Maddalena Peghin & Carlo Tascini & Matteo Balestrieri & Marco Colizzi, 2023. "Using Metaphors to Understand Suffering in COVID-19 Survivors: A Two Time-Point Observational Follow-Up Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-13, January.
    15. Ahtisham Younas & Subia P. Rasheed & Amara Sundus & Shahzad Inayat, 2020. "Nurses' perspectives of self‐awareness in nursing practice: A descriptive qualitative study," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(2), pages 398-405, June.
    16. Emily Williams & Natisha Sands & Stephen Elsom & Roshani Kanchana Prematunga, 2015. "Mental health consumers' perceptions of quality of life and mental health care," Nursing & Health Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), pages 299-306, September.
    17. Yasser Yahya Al-Ashmori & Idris Othman & Al-Hussein M. H. Al-Aidrous, 2022. "“Values, Challenges, and Critical Success Factors” of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Malaysia: Experts Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, March.
    18. Broqvist, Mari & Sandman, Lars & Garpenby, Peter & Krevers, Barbro, 2018. "The meaning of severity – do citizenś views correspond to a severity framework based on ethical principles for priority setting?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(6), pages 630-637.
    19. Hales, Jan & Kemper, Joya & White, Samantha K. & Veer, Ekant, 2024. "Reflections on food policy in the context of healthy and sustainable diets," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    20. Maša Filipovič Hrast & Richard Sendi & Boštjan Kerbler, 2023. "Person–Environment Fit in Urban Neighbourhoods in Slovenia: Challenges and Coping Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-14, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2964-:d:763428. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.