title: The epidemiology of chronic pain in the community.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University of Aberdeen Medical School, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Penny
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology