The Effect of Low Back and Neck Pain on Posture, Burnout, and Quality of Life in Formal Caregivers of Children With Disabilities and the Elderly

Abstract

BackgroundCaregiving, which is often described as a stressful job due to the patience and dedication it requires, affects the physical and mental health of the employees of the profession due to various factors.AimsThis study was conducted to investigate the effects of lower back and neck pain on posture, burnout level, and quality of life of the formal caregivers of children with disability and the elderly.MethodsThe study included 64 formal caregivers of children with disability and the elderly. The socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were recorded. The Oswestry Disability Index, the Neck Disability Index, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Short Form-36 were used to evaluate low back pain, neck pain, burnout levels, and quality of life, respectively. Participants' spinal posture values were measured with the Spinal Mouse device.ResultsWhen the groups were combined and examined, it was found that neck pain caused changes in the spinal posture (p < 0.05) and that low back pain did not affect spinal posture (p > 0.05). Also, low back and neck pain had an increasing effect on emotional burnout and desensitization and a decreasing effect on the quality of life (p < 0.05).ConclusionsIn this study, it was observed that low back and neck pain experience has negative effects on individuals' posture, burnout levels, and quality of life.