Prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain in veterans with spinal cord injury.
To assess prevalence and characteristics of individual chronic (>6 mo) pain components in the veteran spinal cord injury (SCI) population, we conducted a telephone survey with 348 (66%) of 530 veterans with SCI who received care from one regional Department of Veterans Affairs SCI center during a 3 yr period. The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire was used to assess qualitative properties of the pain experience. Other questions were used to assess frequency, duration, intensity, exacerbating factors, and effects on daily activities. Of the participants, 75% reported at least one chronic pain component. The majority (83%) of the chronic pain components occurred daily (mean = 27.4 d/mo) and lasted most of the day (mean = 17.4 h/d). Mean pain intensity in the week before the interview averaged 6.7 (on a 0 to 10 scale), while worst pain intensity averaged 8.6. Two-thirds (67%) of the chronic pain components interfered with daily activities. The most commonly selected pain descriptors were "aching," "sharp," "hot-burning," and "tiring-exhausting." More research is needed to identify better ways to prevent, assess, and treat chronic pain in the veteran SCI population.
Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA. drintala@bcm.tmc.edu
Diana H
DH
Rintala
Sally Ann
SA
Holmes
Richard Neil
RN
Fiess
Daisy
D
Courtade
Paul G
PG
Loubser
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*