PSS16 Predictors of PAIN Severity Among a National Community-Based Sample of Older United States Adults with Self-Reported PAIN

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To determine the predictors of pain severity among older United States (US) adults with pain. This cross-sectional, retrospective study utilized the 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Eligible participants were alive for the calendar year, aged ≥50 years, and reported having pain in the past four weeks. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to identify significant predictors of the dependent variable, pain severity (defined as extreme/quite a bit or moderate/little pain). National estimates were determined by adjusting for the complex MEPS design. The a priori alpha level was 0.05. The weighted number of non-institutionalized adults alive aged ≥50 with pain totaled to 57,074,842; of which 25.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]=23.2%-26.7%) reported extreme/quite a bit of pain and 75.0% (95% CI=73.3%-76.8%) reported moderate/little pain. Predictors significantly associated with extreme/quite a bit of pain included: age 50-64 versus ≥65 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.487, 95% CI=1.217-1.816); males versus females (AOR=0.795, 95% CI=0.668-0.946); white race versus others (AOR=0.746, 95% CI=0.609-0.915); married versus other marital status (AOR=1.305, 95% CI=1.083-1.573); income <200% federal poverty level versus ≥200% federal poverty level (AOR=1.300, 95% CI=1.055-1.602); employed versus unemployed (AOR=0.467, 95% CI=0.366-0.597); limitation versus no limitation (AOR=2.636, 95% CI=2.088-3.328); 0, 1, 3 or 4 versus ≥5 chronic conditions (AOR ranged from 0.387 for 0 conditions to 0.774 for 4 conditions); excellent/very good or good versus fair/poor perceived physical health status (AOR ranged from 0.282 for excellent/very good to 0.401 for good); smokers versus non-smokers (AOR=1.563, 95% CI=1.267-1.928); exercise versus no exercise (AOR=0.738, 95% CI=0.616-0.884); and South versus West census region (AOR=1.343, 95% CI=1.037-1.739). This study found several characteristics could predict pain severity among the approximately 14 million older US adults (≥50 years) who reported having extreme/quite a bit of pain. These characteristics may guide specific areas of focus to improve patients’ pain management.