title: The Role of Health Locus of Control in Evaluating Depression and Other Comorbidities in Patients with Chronic Pain Conditions, A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: Chronic pain is significantly influenced by behavioral, cognitive, and emotional factors. Few studies have investigated the health locus of control (HLC)-one's belief regarding where control over one's health lies-as it relates to patients with chronic pain. The purpose of this prospective, cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between depression and health/pain locus of control (HLC) in adult patients with persistent pain.
  
  
  
  A series of questionnaires was administered to chronic pain patients, and these questionnaires were scored and analyzed. Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on health locus of control (internal, chance, powerful-others), which were examined with respect to their depression scores using analysis of variance.
  
  
  
  A total of 131 patients completed the study: 33% belonged to the internal group, 39% in the chance group, and 28% in the powerful-others group. The 3 groups had depression scores of 40 (SD = 8), 47 (SD = 10), and 42 (SD = 8), respectively. We found significant difference in depressions scores between the chance group and the internal group (P < 0.005) with the chance group having higher depression scores compared to the internal group.
  
  
  
  The study shows that patients with an internal locus of control are less depressed compared to patients with fatalistic views on their health/pain in the chance group. The chance dimension of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale was found to be a potential predictor of psychiatric comorbidities such as depression in the chronic pain patient population.
authors.affiliation: Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Harry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anitescu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: chronic pain; cross-sectional survey; depression; locus of control