Non-specific low back pain prevalence and associated factors among Chinese people aged 60 years and older: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of non-specific low back pain (NLBP) over the past 12 months and to determine its associated factors among Chinese older people aged 60 years and over.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study on NLBP prevalence was conducted at seven communities between July 2024 and January 2025. Data on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and labor-related factors were also collected. This study included those who had suffered from LBP over the past 12 months. The univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were used to examine the factors for the prevalence of LBP.

RESULTS

Of the 286 participants, 129 (45.1%) were females and 174 (60.8%) were in the 60-74 year age group. Overall, the prevalence of NLBP in Chinese people aged 60 and above was 26.2% (95% CI: 21.1, 31.4). Females (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 6.09, 95% CI: 3.09, 12.00), participants aged 85 years and over (aPR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.73), participants with a body mass index (BMI) ranged from 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m2 (aPR: 2.23, 95% CI: 1.29, 3.85), being current smokers (aPR: 4.39, 95% CI: 1.99, 9.69), being former drinkers (aPR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.38), having daily sitting reaching 8 h or longer (aPR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.39), no weekly exercise (aPR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.50, 3.73), and daily work involving bending (aPR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.58, 4.48) were associated with NLBP.

CONCLUSION

NLBP was common in Chinese people aged 60 years and above. Gender, age, BMI, smoking, alcohol drinking, daily sitting reaching 8 h or longer, weekly exercise, and daily work involving bending were associated with the prevalence of NLBP. This study calls for tailored interventions such as launching public health campaigns, organizing social and sporting events, encouraging ergonomic adaptations, and establishing surveillance systems to reduce the LBP burden among Chinese older people.