Over 10% of US adults live in chronic pain says new analysis of data

Most adults in the US have experienced some level of pain, from brief to more lasting (chronic) pain, and from relatively minor to more severe pain, say a new analysis of data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). And an estimated 25.3 million adults (11.2%) experience chronic pain, ie pain every day for the preceding three months.
Other key findings include:

• Nearly 40 million adults (17.6%) experience severe levels of pain;
• Adults in the two most severe pain groups were likely to have worse health status, use more health care and suffer from more disability than those with less severe pain;
• About half of people with the most severe pain still rated their overall health as good or better;
• Women, older individuals and non-Hispanics were more likely to report any pain, while Asians were less likely.

“The number of people who suffer from severe and chronic pain is striking,” comments Dr Josephine Briggs, who is involved in the work. “This analysis adds valuable new scope to our understanding of pain and could inform the National Pain Strategy in the areas of population research and disparities. It may help shape future research, development, and targeting of effective pain interventions, including complementary health approaches.”

Click here to read the original research in the Journal of Pain.

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Image credit: Petras Gagilas