Changes in risk factors for severe low-back pain among caregivers in care facilities in Japan from 2014 to 2018.

A no-lift policy, which states that care recipients should not be lifted using human power but rather using care equipment, has been spreading since about 2014 in Japan. The purpose of this study is to examine whether severe low-back pain (LBP) risk factors changed between 2014 and 2018. Questionnaires for administrators and caregivers were distributed to care facilities for the elderly and caregivers, respectively, in 2014 and 2018. Questionnaires completed by 612 facilities and 2,712 caregivers in 2014, and by 504 facilities and 3,478 caregivers in 2018 were analyzed. The percentage of caregivers who experienced severe LBP did not differ significantly between 2014 (37.3%) and 2018 (38.3%). However, the number of facilities that introduced care equipment for transfer increased in 2018. Moreover, the number of participants who received training on care methods and use of care equipment increased. Although lifting a resident using human power and taking an unsuitable posture were associated with severe LBP in 2014, only taking an unsuitable posture was associated with severe LBP in 2018. Therefore, lifting a resident using human power has been improved, but taking an unsuitable posture is still the primary risk factor and needs to be improved in care facilities.