Chronic widespread pain, mental health, and physical role function in OEF/OIF veterans.
OBJECTIVE
Describe the associations among pain, mental health concerns, and function in veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF).


METHODS
Retrospective review of self-reported, standardized clinical intake surveys.


METHODS
A multidisciplinary deployment health clinic at a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center.


METHODS
The first 429 veterans of OEF/OIF presenting for clinical evaluation at a deployment health clinic.


METHODS
Function, measured with the Role Physical (RP) scale of the Veterans RAND (VR)-36 survey, was compared for veterans with and without chronic widespread pain (CWP).


RESULTS
After controlling for age, sex, and positive screens for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the presence of CWP had a significant, clinically relevant, and independent effect on VR-36 RP (-6.2 points, DeltaR(2) = 0.052, P < 0.001). Mean VR-36 RP normed score was 43.3 (standard deviation 11.9). CWP was common (29%), as were positive mental health screens (PTSD 53%, depression 60%, alcohol misuse 63%).


CONCLUSIONS
In this sample of OEF/OIF veterans, the majority of whom reported good or better general health, CWP was common and related to poorer physical role function, independent of comorbid mental health concerns.
Helmer
Drew A
DA
Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. drew.helmer@va.gov
Chandler
Helena K
HK
Quigley
Karen S
KS
Blatt
Melissa
M
Teichman
Ronald
R
Lange
Gudrun
G
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D047830:Gulf War; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*