The impact of chronic widespread pain on health status and long-term health predictors: a general population cohort study

Abstract

Background Chronic widespread pain (CWP) has a negative impact on health status, but results have varied regarding gender-related differences and reported health status. The aim was to study the impact of CWP on health status in women and men aged 35–54 years in a sample of the general population. The aim was further to investigate lifestyle-related predictors of better health status in those with CWP in a 12- and 21-year perspective. Method A general population cohort study including 975 participants aged 35–54 years, with a 12- and 21-year follow-up. CWP was measured with a pain mannequin, and the questionnaire included questions on lifestyles factors with SF-36 for measurement of health status. Differences in health status were analysed with independent samples t-test and health predictors with logistic regression analysis. Results The prevalence of CWP was higher in women at all time points, but health status was reduced in both women and men with CWP (p < 0.001) with no gender differences of clinical relevance. At the 12-year follow-up, a higher proportion of women than men had developed CWP (OR 2.04; CI 1.27–3.26), and at the 21-year follow-up, a higher proportion of men had recovered from CWP (OR 3.79; CI 1.00–14.33). In those reporting CWP at baseline, a better SF-36 health status (Physical Functioning, Vitality or Mental Health) at the 12-year follow-up was predicted by male gender, having personal support, being a former smoker, and having no sleeping problems. In the 21-year follow-up, predictors of better health were male gender, a weekly intake of alcohol, and having no sleeping problems. Conclusion Women and men with CWP have the same worsening of health status, but men recover from CWP to a greater extent in the long-term. Being male, having social support, being a former smoker, and having no sleeping problems were associated with better health status in those with CWP.

Spreading of Pain in Patients with Chronic Pain is Related to Pain Duration and Clinical Presentation and Weakly Associated with Outcomes of Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation: A Cohort Study from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (SQRP)

“…This is in line with evidence showing that men seem to recover, ie transit from chronic widespread pain to less spatially distributed pain, to a greater extent than women according to a longitudinal study. 26 The reasons for more WSP in women are unclear and multiple and possibly interacting factors (eg biological, psychosocial and cultural factors including gender roles) are probably involved. 21,25 The present study also found that individuals with the most WSP were more frequently born outside of Europe, had lower education levels and more health-care seeking.…”

“…24,25 Prospective studies in the general population have shown that localized pain (LP) can transition into WSP over time and vice versa, with men being less prone to develop persistent WSP. 26,27 In specialist settings (representing a selection of the most severe cases), smaller cohorts of chronic pain patients have been studied and WSP has been shown to be associated with a longer duration of pain. 28 To the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated spreading of pain in large cohort studies in specialist settings.…”

Stress, Pain, and Work Affiliation Are Strongly Associated With Health-related Quality of Life in Parents of 14–15-year-old Adolescents

“…Stress had the strongest negative effect on mental HRQOL, and pain was one of the variables with a strong negative effect on physical HRQOL. Pain is a common health problem and a may be a signi cant burden that in uences both parents and their families in different ways [12,49]. We found a high prevalence of persistent pain (> 3 moths) in the parents.…”

Multivariate correlations between pain, life interference, health-related quality of life and full-time sick leave 1 year after multimodal rehabilitation, focus on gender and age

“…Still, the results indicate that the interplay of unemployment and a high number of pain sites before MMRP was associated with being on full-time sick leave 1 year after MMRP for men. Previous research has found that widespread pain causes the same worsening of health status for both men and women [46] and is associated with longterm sick leave [47]. Furthermore, results from a longitudinal follow-up study [46] revealed that men recovered from widespread pain to a greater extent than women.…”

“…Previous research has found that widespread pain causes the same worsening of health status for both men and women [46] and is associated with longterm sick leave [47]. Furthermore, results from a longitudinal follow-up study [46] revealed that men recovered from widespread pain to a greater extent than women. More women than men participate in MMRP [22,36] and most of the studies on MMRP are based on a majority of women.…”