Prevalence and clinical profile of chronic pain and its association with mental disorders

Author(s)

Pereira, Flavia Garcia ^[1] ; Franca, Mariane Henriques ^[1] ; Alochio de Paiva, Maria Cristina ^[1] ; Andrade, Laura Helena ^[2] ; Viana, Maria Carmen ^{[1, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Espirito Santo, Programa Posgrad Saude Colet, Vitoria, ES - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept & Inst Psiquiatria, Nuleo Epidemiol Psiquitr, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Espirito Santo, Dept Med Social, Vitoria, ED - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Revista de Saúde Pública; v. 51, 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To identify the prevalence of 12-month self-reported pain and chronic pain in a general population and to describe their clinical profile to assess if chronic pain is associated with 12-month mental disorders. METHODS The data used comes from the São Paulo Megacity Mental Health Survey, a population-based study assessing adult (≥ 18 years) residents of the São Paulo metropolitan area, Brazil. We have assessed the respondents (n = 5,037) using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0), with a global response rate of 81.3%. Descriptive analyses have been performed, and crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) have been calculated with logistic and multinomial regression and presented with respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS The prevalence of pain and chronic pain in the past 12 months were 52.6% (95%CI 50.3–54.8) and 31.0% (95%CI 29.2–32.7), respectively. Joints (16.5%, 95%CI 15.4–17.5) and back or neck (15.5%, 95%CI 14.2–16.9) were the most frequently reported anatomical sites of chronic pain. On a 10-point analogue scale, the mean intensity of the worst pain was 7.7 (95%CI 7.4–7.8), and the mean average pain was 5.5 (95%CI 5.2–5.6); the mean treatment response was 6.3 (95%CI 6.0–6.6). Mean pain duration was 16.1 (95%CI 15.6–17.0) days a month and 132 (95%CI 126–144) minutes a day. Chronic pain was associated with 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders (OR = 2.7, 95%CI 2.3–3.3), anxiety disorders (OR = 2.1, 95%CI 1.9–3.0), and mood disorders (OR = 3.3, 95%CI 2.4–4.1). CONCLUSIONS A high prevalence of chronic pain in multiple sites is observed among the general adult population, and associations between chronic pain and mental disorders are frequent. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 03/00204-3 - Epidemiological study of psychiatric disorders in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region: prevalence, risk factors, and social and economical burden
• Grantee: Laura Helena Silveira Guerra de Andrade
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants