TY - JOUR
T1 - A population in pain
T2 - Report from the Olmsted County health study
AU - Watkins, Emmeline A.
AU - Wollan, Peter C.
AU - Melton, L. Joseph
AU - Yawn, Barbara P.
PY - 2008/3
Y1 - 2008/3
N2 - Background. Pain is poorly understood on a population level. This study provides updated estimates of the prevalence, location, severity, and impact of pain in a U.S. community and discusses current definitions of "chronic" pain. Outcome Measures. We mailed four-page surveys to a random sample of 5,897 adult residents of Olmsted County, MN. The survey asked about participant pain (location, duration, severity, and impact), as well as satisfaction with pain-related health care. Results. Of the 3,575 responders (61%), 64.4% reported having chronic pain (>3 months' duration); 6.9% reported subacute pain (1-3 months); and 9.9% reported acute pain (<1 month). Body regions with the highest prevalence of pain were the head (31.9%), lower back (37.7%), and joints (59.5%). Chronic pain sufferers had more days per months with pain, more moderate or severe pain, and greater levels of interference with general activities and sleep than the people with acute and subacute pain. Almost two-thirds of those with chronic pain (63%) reported multiple pain locations. Several chronic pain sufferers gave fair or poor ratings for the quality of care (13.3% of those rating) or the effectiveness of treatment (28.1%) for pain. Conclusions. The prevalence of chronic pain is high, often in more than one location, and over 21% of chronic pain sufferers report dissatisfaction with current care.
AB - Background. Pain is poorly understood on a population level. This study provides updated estimates of the prevalence, location, severity, and impact of pain in a U.S. community and discusses current definitions of "chronic" pain. Outcome Measures. We mailed four-page surveys to a random sample of 5,897 adult residents of Olmsted County, MN. The survey asked about participant pain (location, duration, severity, and impact), as well as satisfaction with pain-related health care. Results. Of the 3,575 responders (61%), 64.4% reported having chronic pain (>3 months' duration); 6.9% reported subacute pain (1-3 months); and 9.9% reported acute pain (<1 month). Body regions with the highest prevalence of pain were the head (31.9%), lower back (37.7%), and joints (59.5%). Chronic pain sufferers had more days per months with pain, more moderate or severe pain, and greater levels of interference with general activities and sleep than the people with acute and subacute pain. Almost two-thirds of those with chronic pain (63%) reported multiple pain locations. Several chronic pain sufferers gave fair or poor ratings for the quality of care (13.3% of those rating) or the effectiveness of treatment (28.1%) for pain. Conclusions. The prevalence of chronic pain is high, often in more than one location, and over 21% of chronic pain sufferers report dissatisfaction with current care.
KW - Adults
KW - Chronic pain
KW - Frequency
KW - Impact
KW - Population-based
KW - Prevalence
KW - Treatment
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00280.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2007.00280.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 18298699
AN - SCOPUS:39649124189
SN - 1526-2375
VL - 9
SP - 166
EP - 174
JO - Pain Medicine
JF - Pain Medicine
IS - 2
ER -