Group differences in pain interference, psychiatric disorders, and general medical conditions among Hispanics and whites in the U.S. general population

Abstract

The cross-sectional retrospective study examined whether ethnicity moderates relationships between pain interference and both psychopathology and general medical conditions among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adults. Participants comprised 32,574 (14% Hispanic; 86% white) National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions respondents. While Hispanic respondents were less likely than white respondents to report severe pain interference (11.4% vs. 11.9%) or moderate pain interference (5.7% vs. 7.8%), and were more likely to report no or low pain interference (82.9% vs. 80.3%), the magnitude of these ethnic group differences was relatively small. Pain interference was associated with multiple past-year Axis-I psychiatric disorders and general medical conditions in both Hispanic and white respondents. Stronger relationships were observed in Hispanic compared to white respondents between moderate pain interference and any heart condition, tachycardia, and hypertension, and between severe pain interference and any mood disorder. Stronger relationships were observed in white compared to Hispanic respondents between severe pain interference and both social phobia and any stomach condition. Differences between Hispanic and white respondents on the prevalence of pain interference and on the strength of the associations between pain interference and specific psychiatric disorders and general medical conditions underscore the complexity of ethnic health disparities and suggest the importance of further study of underlying mechanisms.