Highlights
-
Nearly 40% of general population adults reported chronic back pain.
-
Female gender, older age, lower education, and rural areas were associated with increased risk.
-
Chronic back pain is associated with significantly reduced quality of life.
Background
Methods
Data and population
Survey variables
Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics
Chronic pain
Quality of life
Data analysis
Results
Distribution of chronic back pain by sociodemographic characteristic
Sociodemographic variables | No chronic back pain | Chronic back pain | p-value |
---|---|---|---|
% | % | ||
Prevalence | 61.7 | 38.3 | |
Gender | <.0001 | ||
Men | 65.7 | 34.3 | |
Women | 58.7 | 41.3 | |
Age-group | <.0001 | ||
18–29 | 73.6 | 26.4 | |
30–39 | 65.7 | 34.3 | |
40–49 | 60.4 | 39.6 | |
50–59 | 55.2 | 44.8 | |
60–69 | 55.9 | 44.1 | |
70–79 | 52.9 | 47.1 | |
80–98 | 54.5 | 45.5 | |
Mean age | 44.4 | 49.5 | <.0001 |
Education | <.0001 | ||
No degree | 55.6 | 44.4 | |
Middle school | 57.1 | 42.9 | |
High school | 64.6 | 35.4 | |
Some college | 66.5 | 33.5 | |
College degree | 71.6 | 28.4 | |
Employment status | <.0001 | ||
Employed | 63.8 | 36.2 | |
Seeking employment | 60.7 | 39.3 | |
Retired | 55.0 | 45.0 | |
Student | 78.1 | 21.9 | |
Homemaker | 56.8 | 43.2 | |
Other inactive | 52.3 | 47.7 | |
Occupation | <.0001 | ||
Farmer | 53.6 | 46.4 | |
Independent | 56.9 | 43.1 | |
Executive | 70.4 | 29.6 | |
Intermediary profession | 62.1 | 37.9 | |
Employee | 58.6 | 41.4 | |
Blue collar worker | 58.5 | 41.5 | |
Inactive | 64.5 | 35.5 | |
Relationship status | .001 | ||
Single | 63.1 | 36.9 | |
In a relationship | 60.8 | 39.2 | |
Population density | <.0001 | ||
Rural area | 58.4 | 41.6 | |
< 20,000 | 60.1 | 39.9 | |
20,000 to 100,000 | 61.1 | 38.9 | |
> 100,000 | 64.1 | 35.9 |
Past year comorbid medical conditions among adults with or without chronic back pain
No chronic back pain | Chronic back pain | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
% | % | AOR | 95% CI | |
Past year medical conditions | ||||
Any chronic pain |
33.7
|
66.6
|
3.59
|
3.38–3.81
|
Arthritis or rheumatism |
15.6
|
45.8
|
4.76
|
4.43–5.13
|
Frequent or severe headaches |
14.3
|
26.7
|
2.31
|
2.13–2.62
|
Other chronic pain |
11.3
|
21.0
|
1.92
|
1.78–2.07
|
Any other medical condition |
29.6
|
43.6
|
1.59
|
1.50–1.69
|
Stroke |
0.5
|
1.2
|
2.22
|
1.62–3.06
|
Heart attack |
0.6
|
0.9
| 1.24 | .90–1.70 |
Hypertension |
12.5
|
19.0
|
1.29
|
1.19–1.40
|
Digestive ulcers |
2.5
|
6.5
|
2.44
|
2.12–2.81
|
Respiratory problems |
3.6
|
7.0
|
1.77
|
1.56–2.01
|
Diabetes |
3.7
|
4.9
| 1.11 | .97–1.27 |
Cancer or leukemia |
1.5
|
1.9
| 1.04 | .84–1.29 |
Other serious long term disease |
8.0
|
13.0
|
1.61
|
1.47–1.76
|
Neurological problems |
2.1
|
4.6
|
2.13
|
1.82–2.50
|
Serious accident |
4.5
|
6.1
|
1.41
|
1.24–1.59
|
Predictors of chronic back pain
Chronic back pain | ||
---|---|---|
AOR | 95% CI | |
Determinants | ||
Gender: Women (ref: men) |
1.15
|
1.08–1.23
|
Age |
1.00
|
1.00–1.01
|
Education (ref: no degree) | ||
Middle school | .98 | .88–1.08 |
High school | .91 | .81–1.02 |
Some college |
.85
|
.75–.97
|
College degree |
.71
|
.63–.82
|
Occupation (ref: farmers) | ||
Independent |
1.29
|
1.00–1.67
|
Executive | .97 | .76–1.23 |
Intermediary profession | 1.15 | .91–1.44 |
Employee | 1.08 | .86–1.35 |
Blue collar worker | 1.20 | .95–1.50 |
Inactive | .94 | .75–1.19 |
Relationship status: In a relationship (ref: single) |
1.13
|
1.06–1.20
|
Population density (ref: rural area) | ||
< 20,000 |
.91
|
.82–99
|
20,000 to 100,000 |
.88
|
.81–.97
|
> 100,000 |
.84
|
.80–.90
|
Comorbidity | ||
Any chronic pain (ref: absence) |
3.46
|
3.26–3.68
|
Any other medical condition (ref:absence) |
1.32
|
1.24–1.41
|
Quality of life by chronic pain status
No chronic back pain | Chronic back pain | p-value | |
---|---|---|---|
Mean scores for SF-36 subscales and composite scales | |||
Physical functioning | 91.48 | 81.34 | <.0001 |
Role limitation caused by physical health | 89.85 | 75.25 | <.0001 |
Body pain | 79.99 | 55.44 | <.0001 |
General health | 76.53 | 66.76 | <.0001 |
Vitality (energy/fatigue) | 64.21 | 56.81 | <.0001 |
Social functioning | 89.57 | 81.49 | <.0001 |
Role limitation caused by emotional problems | 94.67 | 91.41 | <.0001 |
Emotional well-being | 73.24 | 67.49 | <.0001 |
Physical component score (PCS) | 49.43 | 44.64 | <.0001 |
Mental component score (MCS) | 55.97 | 53.74 | <.0001 |
Physical Composite Score | Mental Composite Score | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coef | 95% CI | Coef. | 95% CI | |||
Chronic back pain status (ref: No pain) |
−2.96
|
−3.13
|
−2.80
|
−1.25
|
−1.45
|
−1.05
|
Gender: female (ref: male) |
−.54
|
−.71
|
−.37
|
−1.23
|
− 1.42
|
− 1.03
|
Age |
−.08
|
−.08
|
−.07
|
−.02
|
−.03
|
−.01
|
Education (ref: no degree) | ||||||
Middle school |
1.00
|
.73
|
1.27
|
1.03
|
.70
|
1.36
|
High school |
1.42
|
1.10
|
1.74
|
1.16
|
.78
|
1.54
|
Some college |
1.50
|
1.17
|
1.84
|
1.28
|
.86
|
1.69
|
College degree |
1.50
|
1.15
|
1.84
|
.97
|
.54
|
1.39
|
Occupation (ref: farmers) | ||||||
Independent | .56 | −.13 | 1.24 |
1.27
|
.43
|
2.11
|
Executive |
.78
|
.15
|
1.41
|
.83
|
.04
|
1.62
|
Intermediary profession | .59 | −.02 | 1.19 |
.94
|
.18
|
1.70
|
Employee | .19 | −.41 | .79 |
.92
|
.16
|
1.68
|
Blue collar worker | −.09 | −.69 | .52 |
.83
|
.07
|
1.59
|
Inactive | −.59 | −1.21 | .04 | −.41 | −1.21 | .39 |
Relationship status: In a relationship (ref: single) |
.16
|
.00
|
.31
|
1.36
|
1.16
|
1.55
|
Population density (ref: rural area) | ||||||
< 20,000 | .12 | −.13 | .37 | −.14 | −.44 | .15 |
20,000 to 100,000 | .19 | −.06 | .44 |
−.43
|
−.74
|
−.13
|
> 100,000 | −.02 | −.21 | .17 |
−.45
|
−.68
|
−.22
|
Comorbidity | ||||||
Any chronic pain (ref: absence) |
−3.07
|
−3.23
|
−2.90
|
−1.59
|
−1.79
|
−1.40
|
Any other medical condition (ref:absence) |
− 2.45
|
−2.62
|
− 2.27
|
−2.52
|
− 2.74
|
−2.30
|
R2 | 0.4302 | 0.1548 |