Prevalent musculoskeletal pain as a correlate of previous exposure to torture.
OBJECTIVE
To research possible associations between previous exposure to specific torture techniques and prevalent pain in the head and face, back, and feet.


METHODS
221 refugees, 193 males and 28 females, previously exposed to torture in their home country, were subject to a clinical interview at a rehabilitation clinic for torture victims. The interview focused on exposure to torture and somatic symptoms prevalent at examination.


RESULTS
The mean number of times imprisoned was 2.3; the mean number of months imprisoned was 19.7; the mean duration from initial imprisonment to final release was 3.7 years; and the mean duration from final release to preliminary interview was 8.4 years. The most frequent physical torture method reported was beating (92.3%) and the main mental torture method was deprivation (84.6%). Pain in the head and face was found to be strongly associated with torture against head and face (OR 3.89, 95% CI 1.49-10.20) and with the cumulative number of physical torture methods exposed to. Pain in the back was associated with sexual torture (OR 2.75, 95% CI 1.07-7.12). Besides beating of the lower extremities (OR 5.98, 95% CI 2.47-14.48), the strongest predictor for pain in the feet was general abuse of the whole body (OR 5.64, 95% CI 1.93-16.45).


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of many factors being potentially co-responsible for prevalent pain, years after the torture took place it presents itself as strongly associated with specific loci of pain, with generalized effects, and with somatizing.
Olsen
Dorte Reff
DR
Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Copenhagen, Denmark. dortereff@yahoo.com
Montgomery
Edith
E
Bøjholm
Søren
S
Foldspang
Anders
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D003718:Denmark / Q000208:ethnology; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D051298:Post-Traumatic Headache / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014104:Torture / Q000523:psychology