title: Chronic Pain in a Low Socioeconomic Status Population in Singapore: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: . The authors sought to determine the prevalence of chronic pain in a low socioeconomic-status rental-flat community in Singapore and its associations. In Singapore, ≥85% own homes; public rental flats are reserved for the low-income.
  
  
  
  . Chronic pain was defined as pain ≥3 months. From 2009-2014, residents aged ≥ 40 years in five public rental-flat enclaves were surveyed for chronic pain, as well as sociodemographic factors. Subsequently, the authors conducted an additional study among elderly (aged ≥60) in two public rental-flat enclaves in 2012. The authors compared against residents staying in adjacent owner-occupied public housing.
  
  
  
  . Prevalence of chronic pain in the rental-flat population was 14.2% (133/936) compared with 14.4% (158/1101) in the owner-occupied population (p = 0.949). On multivariate analysis, among those aged 40-59 years, staying in the rental flat community was independently associated with higher prevalence of leg/ankle/foot pain, compared to staying in the owner-occupied flat community (aOR = 2.35, CI = 1.24-7.35, p = 0.008). In the rental-flat population, unemployment was associated with chronic pain (aOR = 1.92, 95%, CI = 1.05-2.78, p = 0.030); among the elderly, dependency in instrumental-activities-of-daily-living (iADLs) was associated with chronic pain (aOR = 2.38, CI = 1.11-5.00, p = 0.025), as well as female gender, being single, and having higher education (all p > 0.05).
  
  
  
  . In this low socioeconomic-status population, chronic pain associated with unemployment and functional limitation. There was no difference in pain prevalence between the rental-flat population and adjacent owner-occupied precincts.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Internal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singhealth, Singapore.
authors.forename: Wee
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liang En
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Cher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen Qi
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zong Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, JurongHealth, Singapore.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shibli
authors.affiliation: Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore gerald_koh@nuhs.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Choon-Huat Koh
keywords: Asian; Chronic Pain; Low-Income; Socioeconomic