Objective Individuals with chronic pain are uniquely challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, as increased stress may exacerbate chronic pain, and there are new barriers to receiving chronic pain treatment. In light of this, using a large online sample in the United States, we examined 1) the early impact of COVID-19 on pain severity, pain interference, and chronic pain management; and 2) variables associated with perceived changes in pain severity and pain interference. Design A cross-sectional study. Methods Online survey data for 1,453 adults with chronic pain were collected via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. Results Although a large proportion of participants reported no perceived changes in their pain severity and pain interference since the outbreak, approximately 25–30% of individuals reported exacerbation in these domains. Individuals identifying as Black and of non-Hispanic origin, who experienced greater disruptions in their mood and sleep quality, were more likely to report worsened pain interference. The majority of participants reported engaging in self-management strategies as usual. However, most appointments for chronic pain treatment were either postponed or canceled, with no future session scheduled. Furthermore, a notable proportion of participants had concerns about or difficulty accessing prescription opioids due to COVID-19. Conclusions We may expect to see a long-term exacerbation of chronic pain and related interference in functioning and chronic pain management among individuals most impacted by the pandemic. These individuals may benefit from remotely delivered intervention to effectively mitigate COVID-19–related exacerbations in chronic pain and interruptions in face-to-face treatment.

Recent studies describe the clinical implications of sickle cell disease (SCD) stigma. However, little is known about its link to depressive symptoms or its relative influence on the association between depressive symptoms and SCD pain. We examined whether internalized stigma about SCD moderated the relation between depressive symptoms and pain among 69 adults attending a SCD clinic who reported pain episodes and healthcare use over the past three months. Unadjusted bivariate analyses showed a marginal association between depressive symptoms and SCD pain frequency (r = .21, p < .10). Further analyses adjusting for health care use indicated a moderating effect of internalized stigma (b = −.10, p < .05): a significant association between depressive symptoms and pain was observed among participants low in internalized stigma, but this relationship was attenuated at moderate and high stigma levels. These results denote counterintuitive consequences of internalized attitudes about SCD and suggest a need for further study of the psychosocial and clinical implications of SCD stigma.

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