Longitudinal Associations of Family Relationship Quality With Chronic Pain Incidence and Persistence Among Aging African Americans

Abstract

Objectives This study examines how family relationships convey risk or resilience for pain outcomes for aging African Americans, and to replicate and extend analyses across two nationally representative studies of aging health. Method African American participants in Midlife in the United States (MIDUS, N = 755) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, N = 2585) self-reported chronic pain status at 2006 waves and then again 10 years later. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of pain incidence and persistence explained by family, intimate partner, and parent-child strain and support, as well as average support and average strain across relationships. Results On average, MIDUS participants were younger (M = 52.35, SD = 12.06; 62.1% female) than HRS (M = 66.65, SD = 10.92; 63.7% female). Family support and average support were linked to a decreased odds of pain incidence in MIDUS, but only when tested without accounting for strain, while parent-child strain was a risk factor for pain incidence in HRS, as was average strain. Family support protected against pain persistence in MIDUS, while average support was linked to a reduced odds of pain persisting in HRS. Discussion Chronic pain outcomes are worse for African Americans for a number of reasons, but parent-child strain may contribute to the risk of new pain developing over time for older adults. Conversely, family support may offer a protective benefit for pain incidence and persistence among aging African Americans. Findings implicate family relationships as a potential target of pain management interventions.