Elsevier

The Journal of Pain

Volume 15, Issue 10, October 2014, Pages 979-984
The Journal of Pain

Focus Article
Prevalence of Persistent Pain in the U.S. Adult Population: New Data From the 2010 National Health Interview Survey

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2014.05.009Get rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

Highlights

  • Estimates of chronic pain prevalence vary, depending the operational definition of “chronic.”

  • “Persistent pain” is a more consistent and precise way to measure health-related quality of life.

  • Persistent pain is operationally defined as constant or frequent pain lasting at least 3 months.

  • An estimated 39.4 million adults in the U.S. reported persistent pain in 2010.

  • This population clearly has unmet needs for pain management and is a public health priority.

Abstract

Published adult prevalence estimates of chronic pain in the United States vary significantly. A more consistent pain measure is needed to assess unmet need for pain management in the general population. In this study, secondary analyses of the 2010 Quality of Life Supplement of the National Health Interview Survey are used to calculate the point prevalence of “persistent pain,” which we defined as constant or frequent pain persisting for at least 3 months. Rates of persistent pain are also calculated by risk group, chronic condition, and disability status. Findings show that about 19.0% of adults in the United States report persistent pain. Rates of persistent pain are higher among women, adults aged 60 to 69, adults who rate their health as fair or poor, adults who are overweight or obese, and those who were hospitalized 1 or more times in the preceding year. Most adults who report conditions such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or back or joint pain do not describe their pain as “persistent.” Of the estimated 39.4 million adults who report persistent pain, 67.2% say their pain is “constantly present,” and 50.5% say their pain is sometimes “unbearable and excruciating.”

Perspective

Persistent pain, defined as self-reported pain “every day” or “most days” in the preceding 3 months, is a useful way to characterize health-related quality of life in the general population, and policy makers should consider including this core measure in ongoing health surveys like the National Health Interview Survey and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the authors conclude.

Key words

Chronic pain
persistent pain
National Health Interview Survey
health-related quality of life

Cited by (0)

The Program of Excellence in Rural Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment, funded by the Washington Life Sciences Discovery Fund (grant no. LSDF 08-02; John Roll, principal investigator), sponsored this work.

No conflicts of interest exist between any of the authors, contributors, funding entities, research groups, or associated individuals or parties.