Abstract
Background: The UK guidelines for the management of low back pain (LBP) in the workplace were published in 2000 but studies exploring their implementation are limited. As part of a larger implementation strategy which combined changes in organisational structures with a health promotion campaign, managers at a major Dublin teaching hospital were surveyed.
The aim of this study was to establish the efficacy of a health promotion campaign in changing managers’ attitudes towards the guidelines.
Methods: A questionnaire survey of hospital managers was conducted in 2004. As part of this survey, managers were asked to indicate their level of agreement with a series of guideline based statements. The results of this survey were used to guide the development of a health promotion campaign which included a series of workshops combined with provision of written materials.
In 2006 a repeat survey of the managers (n=92) was conducted to measure the efficacy of the health promotion campaign. Survey data were entered onto SPSS (V.11) for analysis using descriptive statistics and chi square tests.
Results: A 63% (n=58) response rate was achieved. Positive changes occurred in relation to all the guidelines including a 28% increase (p< 0.05) in the proportion of managers who believe that most LBP is self limiting and a 38% increase (p< 0.05) in the proportion of managers who believe that remaining active and returning to work even if there is some pain is appropriate.
Conclusion: A health promotion campaign targeting hospital managers was successful in changing managers’ attitudes towards the occupational LBP guidelines.
Correspondence should be addressed to: Mr John O’ Dowd, SBPR, c/o BOA, The Royal College of Surgeons, 35–43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE.
