Prevalence of current and chronic pain and their influences upon work and healthcare-seeking: A population study
2004 (English)In: Journal of Rheumatology, ISSN 0315-162X, E-ISSN 1499-2752, Vol. 31, no 7, p. 1399-1406Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Objective. To investigate the prevalence of current and chronic pain and their relationship to pain intensity, sex, age, income, employment status, citizenship, marital status, urban residence, occupational activity, and healthcare-seeking based on a representative sample from a Swedish county. Methods. A cross-sectional survey using a postal questionnaire was sent to a representative sample (n = 9952) of the target population (284,073 people, age 18-74 yrs) in a county (Östergötland) in southern Sweden. A questionnaire was mailed and followed by 2 postal reminders if necessary. Results. The participation rate was 76.7% (n = 7637), nonparticipants were on average younger, male, and earned less money. The overall point prevalence of pain was 48.9%. The corresponding one-month period prevalence was 63.0%, and pain on several occasions during the previous 3 months was reported by 61.3% of participants. The prevalence of chronic pain (pain > 3 months) was 53.7%. Female sex, age, and sick leave/early retirement were generally of significant importance in the regressions of pain. No sex factor was found in the regressions of pain frequency and pain intensity. Chronic pain - especially frequent and intensive pain - showed clear associations with healthcare-seeking and occupational activity. Conclusion. High prevalence of current pain (48.9%) and chronic pain (53.7%) were found in this community-based study. Being female, older, and on sick leave or early retirement were generally of significant importance in the regressions of pain. Chronic pain showed clear associations with healthcare-seeking and occupational activity, indicating considerable socioeconomic costs.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2004. Vol. 31, no 7, p. 1399-1406
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-22432Local ID: 1654OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-22432DiVA, id: diva2:242745
2009-10-072009-10-072017-12-13