The influence of social factors in expectations of pain associated with osteoarthritis.

A survey was conducted on a sample of 113 individuals who might not be under medical care at the time of the study. A stratified random sample was drawn from two lists; one from a population of college teaching faculty who for purposes of the study were defined as upper class, and a second from individuals interviewed in various lower class neighbourhoods in a large metropolitan area. Among other questions the respondents were asked about the amount of pain they would expect to have with arthritis. Lower class, Blacks, and women respondents expect greater amounts of pain than do upper class, Whites, and men. Age, religion, and whether or not a person is married and living with a spouse do not appear to be important factors in an individual's expectations of the amount of pain associated with arthritis.