Low back pain is major cause of industrial disability and has a significant socioeconomic impact. Risk factors for low back pain are discribed a being either industrial or occupational risk factors. Individual risk factor includes: age, sex, anthropometry, muscle strength, psychosocial factor and previous attack of low back pain. Occupational risk factor includes: lifting, bending, twisting, heavy work and vibration.

Many hospital employees are at risk for work-related low back pain and nursing personnel, when compairing to other occupational groups, have relatively high prevalence rate of back pain.

A cross-sectional questionnaire study was carried out aiming at determining prevalence rates and identifying factors associated with low back pain. The quesionnaire included 37 question items concerning age, height, body weight, job position, physical fittness, job satisfaction and transfer loading score. Transfer loading score was defined as the sum of numbers of lifting weighted by the method of patient handling and by the numbers of participating person.

The results were as follows:

1) Low back pain prevalence rate of the study subjects was 54.6%.

2) In the nurses of intensive care unit and operating room, the prevalence rate of low back pain was significantly higher than in that of general ward nurses.

3) The relationship between the history of previous back pain and present low back pain was found to be significant, with odds ratios of 3.25 The relationship between the transfer loading score of 6 to 10 or 11 to 20 or above 20 and present low back pain was found to be significant, with odds ratios of 2.23, 2.27 and 1.27, respectively.

4)The transfer loading score tended to be lower with increasing age and career of nurses. And it was significantly higher in staff nurses than in head and charge nurses, and in nurses of intensive care unit and operating room than in nurses of general ward.

According to the above results, the transfer loading score is correlated with low back pain. For prevention of low back pain in hospital nursing personnel, the use of portable patient hoist and regular education programe are needed.