Adverse impacts of chronic pain on health-related quality of life, work productivity, depression and anxiety in a community-based study

Kosuke Kawai; Alison Tse Kawai; Peter Wollan; Barbara P Yawn

doi:10.1093/fampra/cmx034

Table 2.

Characteristics of adults by category of chronic pain in the Olmsted County Health Study in Minnesota, 2004 to 2006

Characteristics Adults with no chronic pain (n = 150) Adults with abdominal chronic pain (n = 54) Adults with joint chronic pain (n = 108) Adults with low back chronic pain (n = 109) Adults with multisite chronic pain (n = 117) Adults with neuropathic chronic pain (n = 203) P value
Demographics
Age years, mean (SD) 56.8 (±14.8) 55.1 (±14.2) 56.0 (±12.6) 59.3 (±13.0) 57.1 (±13.6) 55.3 (±13.3) 0.18
Women 70 (46.7%) 32 (59.3%) 67 (62.0%) 61 (56.0%) 90 (76.9%) 125 (61.6%) <0.001
Married 124 (83.2%) 43 (81.1%) 85 (78.7%) 86 (78.9%) 83 (70.9%) 153 (75.4%) 0.23
Currently working 103 (68.7%) 36 (66.7%) 75 (69.4%) 68 (62.4%) 64 (54.7%) 136 (67.0%) 0.15
Education 0.059
High school or less 29 (19.5%) 14 (25.9%) 21 (19.6%) 20 (18.4%) 28 (24.1%) 39 (19.4%)
Some college or vocational 42 (28.2%) 17 (31.5%) 33 (30.8%) 45 (41.3%) 48 (41.4%) 87 (43.3%)
Graduated college or higher 78 (52.3%) 23 (42.6%) 53 (49.5%) 44 (40.4%) 40 (34.5%) 75 (37.3%)
BMI (kg/m²), mean (SD) 26.6 (±4.9) 28.7 (±7.1) 28.2 (±5.9) 27.5 (±5.3) 28.1 (±6.2) 28.6 (±5.6) 0.019
Obese (>30 kg/m²) 30 (20.3%) 19 (35.2%) 29 (26.9%) 29 (26.9%) 36 (31.3%) 68 (33.5%) 0.09
General health, fair or poor 7 (4.7%) 7 (13.5%) 6 (5.7%) 12 (11.0%) 41 (35.0%) 39 (19.7%) <0.001
Characteristics of pain
Duration of pain, years, median (IQR) — 6.5 (2.0–16.7) 9.5 (4.2–16.7) 10.5 (4.2–20.0) 12.0 (6.0–25.0) 6.0 (2.8–15.0) <0.001
Frequency ≥8 days per month — 16 (53.3%) 76 (87.4%) 65 (85.5%) 113 (99.1%) 122 (80.8%) <0.001
Pain lasting ≥8 hours per day — 10 (38.5%) 30 (37.5%) 17 (24.6%) 86 (77.5%) 67 (46.5%) <0.001
Results of surgery or injury — 11 (20.8%) 30 (28.6%) 31 (29.5%) 35 (31.5%) 88 (43.8%) <0.001
Pain intensity, mean (SD) 0.4 (±1.0) 2.7 (±2.0) 2.2 (±1.5) 2.0 (±1.5) 4.1 (±1.8) 3.0 (±1.7) <0.001
Worst pain, mean (SD) 0.7 (±1.7) 4.5 (±2.6) 4.0 (±2.3) 3.7 (±2.5) 6.3 (±2.2) 5.0 (±2.4) <0.001
Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Physical Functioning, mean (SD) 89.4 (±18.1) 80.2 (±17.0) 79.0 (±21.8) 78.1 (±20.9) 60.9 (±26.5) 72.0 (±24.2) <0.001
PHQ9 score, mean (SD) 1.1 (±2.7) 3.5 (±5.4) 1.7 (±2.6) 2.7 (±3.6) 4.6 (±5.6) 4.1 (±5.0) <0.001
Depressive symptoms
Mild depressive symptoms 5 (3.3%) 6 (11.1%) 10 (9.3%) 10 (9.2%) 20 (17.1%) 40 (19.7%) <0.001
Major depressive symptoms 3 (2.0%) 7 (13.0%) 2 (1.9%) 9 (8.3%) 18 (15.4%) 25 (12.3%)
Beck anxiety, score ≥4 7 (4.7%) 3 (5.6%) 7 (6.5%) 13 (11.9%) 27 (23.1%) 35 (17.3%) <0.001
Healthcare seeking for pain
Difficulties/delays in obtaining care, did not receive needed care 9 (6.0%) 8 (14.8%) 7 (6.5%) 11 (10.1%) 25 (21.4%) 31 (15.4%) <0.001
No diagnosis of chronic pain by physician — 4 (10.3%) 18 (19.8%) 18 (21.2%) 10 (8.7%) 29 (15.4%) 0.08
Did not talk about chronic pain with physician — 3 (8.8%) 10 (11.4%) 11 (14.3%) 2 (1.9%) 31 (18.7%) 0.003

n (%) or mean (±SD). Missing values are present in some variables.
P values from chi-square or Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and Kruskal–Wallis test for continuous variables.

Characteristics	Adults with no chronic pain (n = 150)	Adults with abdominal chronic pain (n = 54)	Adults with joint chronic pain (n = 108)	Adults with low back chronic pain (n = 109)	Adults with multisite chronic pain (n = 117)	Adults with neuropathic chronic pain (n = 203)	P value
Demographics
Age years, mean (SD)	56.8 (±14.8)	55.1 (±14.2)	56.0 (±12.6)	59.3 (±13.0)	57.1 (±13.6)	55.3 (±13.3)	0.18
Women	70 (46.7%)	32 (59.3%)	67 (62.0%)	61 (56.0%)	90 (76.9%)	125 (61.6%)	<0.001
Married	124 (83.2%)	43 (81.1%)	85 (78.7%)	86 (78.9%)	83 (70.9%)	153 (75.4%)	0.23
Currently working	103 (68.7%)	36 (66.7%)	75 (69.4%)	68 (62.4%)	64 (54.7%)	136 (67.0%)	0.15
Education							0.059
High school or less	29 (19.5%)	14 (25.9%)	21 (19.6%)	20 (18.4%)	28 (24.1%)	39 (19.4%)
Some college or vocational	42 (28.2%)	17 (31.5%)	33 (30.8%)	45 (41.3%)	48 (41.4%)	87 (43.3%)
Graduated college or higher	78 (52.3%)	23 (42.6%)	53 (49.5%)	44 (40.4%)	40 (34.5%)	75 (37.3%)
BMI (kg/m²), mean (SD)	26.6 (±4.9)	28.7 (±7.1)	28.2 (±5.9)	27.5 (±5.3)	28.1 (±6.2)	28.6 (±5.6)	0.019
Obese (>30 kg/m²)	30 (20.3%)	19 (35.2%)	29 (26.9%)	29 (26.9%)	36 (31.3%)	68 (33.5%)	0.09
General health, fair or poor	7 (4.7%)	7 (13.5%)	6 (5.7%)	12 (11.0%)	41 (35.0%)	39 (19.7%)	<0.001
Characteristics of pain
Duration of pain, years, median (IQR)	—	6.5 (2.0–16.7)	9.5 (4.2–16.7)	10.5 (4.2–20.0)	12.0 (6.0–25.0)	6.0 (2.8–15.0)	<0.001
Frequency ≥8 days per month	—	16 (53.3%)	76 (87.4%)	65 (85.5%)	113 (99.1%)	122 (80.8%)	<0.001
Pain lasting ≥8 hours per day	—	10 (38.5%)	30 (37.5%)	17 (24.6%)	86 (77.5%)	67 (46.5%)	<0.001
Results of surgery or injury	—	11 (20.8%)	30 (28.6%)	31 (29.5%)	35 (31.5%)	88 (43.8%)	<0.001
Pain intensity, mean (SD)	0.4 (±1.0)	2.7 (±2.0)	2.2 (±1.5)	2.0 (±1.5)	4.1 (±1.8)	3.0 (±1.7)	<0.001
Worst pain, mean (SD)	0.7 (±1.7)	4.5 (±2.6)	4.0 (±2.3)	3.7 (±2.5)	6.3 (±2.2)	5.0 (±2.4)	<0.001
Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Physical Functioning, mean (SD)	89.4 (±18.1)	80.2 (±17.0)	79.0 (±21.8)	78.1 (±20.9)	60.9 (±26.5)	72.0 (±24.2)	<0.001
PHQ9 score, mean (SD)	1.1 (±2.7)	3.5 (±5.4)	1.7 (±2.6)	2.7 (±3.6)	4.6 (±5.6)	4.1 (±5.0)	<0.001
Depressive symptoms
Mild depressive symptoms	5 (3.3%)	6 (11.1%)	10 (9.3%)	10 (9.2%)	20 (17.1%)	40 (19.7%)	<0.001
Major depressive symptoms	3 (2.0%)	7 (13.0%)	2 (1.9%)	9 (8.3%)	18 (15.4%)	25 (12.3%)
Beck anxiety, score ≥4	7 (4.7%)	3 (5.6%)	7 (6.5%)	13 (11.9%)	27 (23.1%)	35 (17.3%)	<0.001
Healthcare seeking for pain
Difficulties/delays in obtaining care, did not receive needed care	9 (6.0%)	8 (14.8%)	7 (6.5%)	11 (10.1%)	25 (21.4%)	31 (15.4%)	<0.001
No diagnosis of chronic pain by physician	—	4 (10.3%)	18 (19.8%)	18 (21.2%)	10 (8.7%)	29 (15.4%)	0.08
Did not talk about chronic pain with physician	—	3 (8.8%)	10 (11.4%)	11 (14.3%)	2 (1.9%)	31 (18.7%)	0.003