BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is recognised as an important problem in the community but our understanding of the epidemiology of chronic pain remains limited. We undertook a study designed to quantify and describe the prevalence and distribution of chronic pain in the community. METHODS: A random sample of 5036 patients, aged 25 and over, was drawn from 29 general practices in the Grampian region of the UK and surveyed by a postal self-completion questionnaire. The questionnaire included case-screening questions, a question on the cause of the pain, the chronic pain grade questionnaire, the level of expressed needs questionnaire, and sociodemographic questions. FINDINGS: 3605 questionnaires were returned completed. 1817 (50.4%) of patients self reported chronic pain, equivalent to 46.5% of the general population. 576 reported back pain and 570 reported arthritis; these were the most common complaints and accounted for a third of all complaints. Backward stepwise logistic-regression modelling identified age, sex, housing tenure, and employment status as significant predictors of the presence of chronic pain in the community. 703 (48.7%) individuals with chronic pain had the least severe grade of pain, and 228 (15.8%) the most severe grade. Of those who reported chronic pain, 312 (17.2%) reported no expressed need, and 509 (28.0%) reported the highest expressed need. INTERPRETATION: Chronic pain is a major problem in the community and certain groups within the population are more likely to have chronic pain. A detailed understanding of the epidemiology of chronic pain is essential for efficient management of chronic pain in primary care.
BACKGROUND:Chronic pain is recognised as an important problem in the community but our understanding of the epidemiology of chronic pain remains limited. We undertook a study designed to quantify and describe the prevalence and distribution of chronic pain in the community. METHODS: A random sample of 5036 patients, aged 25 and over, was drawn from 29 general practices in the Grampian region of the UK and surveyed by a postal self-completion questionnaire. The questionnaire included case-screening questions, a question on the cause of the pain, the chronic pain grade questionnaire, the level of expressed needs questionnaire, and sociodemographic questions. FINDINGS: 3605 questionnaires were returned completed. 1817 (50.4%) of patients self reported chronic pain, equivalent to 46.5% of the general population. 576 reported back pain and 570 reported arthritis; these were the most common complaints and accounted for a third of all complaints. Backward stepwise logistic-regression modelling identified age, sex, housing tenure, and employment status as significant predictors of the presence of chronic pain in the community. 703 (48.7%) individuals with chronic pain had the least severe grade of pain, and 228 (15.8%) the most severe grade. Of those who reported chronic pain, 312 (17.2%) reported no expressed need, and 509 (28.0%) reported the highest expressed need. INTERPRETATION:Chronic pain is a major problem in the community and certain groups within the population are more likely to have chronic pain. A detailed understanding of the epidemiology of chronic pain is essential for efficient management of chronic pain in primary care.
Authors: Alison M Elliott; Blair H Smith; Philip C Hannaford; W Cairns Smith; W Alastair Chambers Journal: Br J Gen Pract Date: 2002-04 Impact factor: 5.386
Authors: Maria Papaleontiou; Charles R Henderson; Barbara J Turner; Alison A Moore; Yelena Olkhovskaya; Leslie Amanfo; M Carrington Reid Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2010-06-01 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Judith S Kaur; Kathryn Coe; Julia Rowland; Kathryn L Braun; Francisco A Conde; Linda Burhansstipanov; Sue Heiney; Marjorie Kagawa-Singer; Qian Lu; Catherine Witte Journal: Cancer Date: 2012-03-20 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Louise J Geneen; R Andrew Moore; Clare Clarke; Denis Martin; Lesley A Colvin; Blair H Smith Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2017-04-24