Common chronic pain conditions in developed and developing countries: gender and age differences and comorbidity with depression-anxiety disorders.
Although there is a growing body of research concerning the prevalence and correlates of chronic pain conditions and their association with mental disorders, cross-national research on age and gender differences is limited. The present study reports the prevalence by age and gender of common chronic pain conditions (headache, back or neck pain, arthritis or joint pain, and other chronic pain) in 10 developed and 7 developing countries and their association with the spectrum of both depressive and anxiety disorders. It draws on data from 18 general adult population surveys using a common survey questionnaire (N = 42,249). Results show that age-standardized prevalence of chronic pain conditions in the previous 12 months was 37.3% in developed countries and 41.1% in developing countries, with back pain and headache being somewhat more common in developing than developed countries. After controlling for comorbid chronic physical diseases, several findings were consistent across developing and developed countries. There was a higher prevalence of chronic pain conditions among females and older persons; and chronic pain was similarly associated with depression-anxiety spectrum disorders in developed and developing countries. However, the large majority of persons reporting chronic pain did not meet criteria for depression or anxiety disorder. We conclude that common pain conditions affect a large percentage of persons in both developed and developing countries.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic pain conditions are common in both developed and developing countries. Overall, the prevalence of pain is greater among females and among older persons. Although most persons reporting pain do not meet criteria for a depressive or anxiety disorder, depression/anxiety spectrum disorders are associated with pain in both developed and developing countries.
Tsang
Adley
A
Hong Kong Mood Disorders Center, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, Hong Kong, PRC. adley@cuhk.edu.hk
Von Korff
Michael
M
Lee
Sing
S
Alonso
Jordi
J
Karam
Elie
E
Angermeyer
Matthias C
MC
Borges
Guilherme Luiz Guimaraes
GL
Bromet
Evelyn J
EJ
Demytteneare
K
K
de Girolamo
Giovanni
G
de Graaf
Ron
R
Gureje
Oye
O
Lepine
Jean-Pierre
JP
Haro
Josep Maria
JM
Levinson
Daphna
D
Oakley Browne
Mark A
MA
Posada-Villa
Jose
J
Seedat
Soraya
S
Watanabe
Makoto
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001416:Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult