Impact of chronic pain on health care seeking, self care, and medication. Results from a population-based Swedish study

Abstract

Study objective-To explore individual and social factors that could predict health care utilisation and medication among people with chronic pain in an unselected population. Design-A mailed survey with questions about pain and mental symptoms, disability, self care action, visits to health care providers, and medication. Setting-General populations in two Swedish primary health care (PHC) districts. Medical care was given in a state health system. Participants-A random sample (from the population register) of 15% of the population aged 25-74 (n = 1806). Main results-Among people reporting chronic pain 45.7% (compared with 29.8 of non-chronic pain persons, p<0.05) consulted a physician and 7.2% (compared with 1.2%, p<0.05) a physiotherapist during three months. Primary health care was the most frequent care provider. High pain intensity, aging, depression, ethnicity, and socioeconomic level had the greatest impact on physician consultations. Alternative care, used by 5.9%, was associated with high pain intensity and self care. Use of self care was influenced by high pain intensity, regular physical activity, and ethnicity. Alternative care and self care did not imply lower use of conventional health care. Women reporting chronic pain consumed more analgesics and sedatives than corresponding men. Besides female gender, high pain intensity, insomnia, physician consultation, social network, and self care action helped to explain medication with analgesics. Use of herbal remedies and ointments correlated to self care action, visit to an alternative therapist, high pain intensity, and socioeconomic level. Chronic pain (duration more than three months) is a common problem among people in diVerent societies. Conclusions-The

Pattern self-medication use of analgesics in Pune, Maharashtra, India

“…4 Chronic pain complaints lead to more consumption of analgesics, mostly in females. 5 Analgesics were found to be topmost self-medication used in Pune as observed in previous studies. 6,7 Hence this study was planned to explore the pattern of analgesic self-medications use in Pune with following aims and objectives: 1) To find out common health related problems for the use of self-medication of analgesics.…”

“…Our study results are in line of previous studies. 5,6,10,11 Regularization of advertisement may help in curbing the use of analgesics self-medication. Greater collaboration between doctors and pharmacists will be critical and joint training on over the counter self-medication helpful for solving the problem of overuse of analgesics self-medication.…”

Mental Health Service Use by Older Adults: The Role of Chronic Pain

“…[1][2][3][4][5] In primary care clinic samples, rates of depression may be as high as 46% in individuals with pain conditions. 2 Individuals with chronic pain conditions have high rate of primary care and emergency room visits, [6][7][8][9] but little is known about mental health service use in individuals with chronic pain and co-morbid mental health disorders. In a survey of 409 adults with self-reported osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, 42% reported not receiving needed mental health services.…”

Sex Differences in Predictors of Outcome in Selected Physical Therapy Interventions for Acute Low Back Pain

“…Some epidemiological investigations corroborate sex differences observed in response to experimental stimuli, as many chronic pain syndromes are more commonly experienced by women. 2,3,45,50,67 Women have also reported greater pain intensity following surgical procedures 13,63,65 and greater painrelated disability from arthritis. 1,42 Other reports contradict these findings, with men and women reporting similar amounts of pain, disability, and analgesic use for chronic pain and cancer pain.…”