Prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain in veterans with spinal cord injury

To assess prevalence and characteristics of individual chronic (>6 mo) pain components in the veteran spinal cord injury (SCI) population, we conducted a telephone survey with 348 (66%) of 530 veterans with SCI who received care from one regional Department of Veterans Affairs SCI center during a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of rehabilitation research and development Vol. 42; no. 5; p. 573
Main Authors: Rintala, Diana H., Holmes, Sally Ann, Courtade, Richard Neil Fiess; Daisy, Courtade, Daisy, Loubser, Paul G.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Superintendent of Documents 01.09.2005
Subjects:
Adult
Age Distribution
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Analysis of Variance
Chronic Disease
Comorbidity
Data Collection
Female
Hospitals
Humans
Injury Severity Score
Male
Middle Aged
Nervous system
Pain management
Pain Measurement
Pain, Intractable - diagnosis
Pain, Intractable - epidemiology
Prevalence
Prognosis
Sex Distribution
Sickness Impact Profile
Spinal Cord Injuries - diagnosis
Spinal Cord Injuries - epidemiology
Statistical analysis
Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
United States - epidemiology
Veterans
Veterans - statistics & numerical data
United States
ISSN:0748-7711, 1938-1352, 1938-1352
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:To assess prevalence and characteristics of individual chronic (>6 mo) pain components in the veteran spinal cord injury (SCI) population, we conducted a telephone survey with 348 (66%) of 530 veterans with SCI who received care from one regional Department of Veterans Affairs SCI center during a 3 yr period. The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire was used to assess qualitative properties of the pain experience. Other questions were used to assess frequency, duration, intensity, exacerbating factors, and effects on daily activities. Of the participants, 75% reported at least one chronic pain component. The majority (83%) of the chronic pain components occurred daily (mean = 27.4 d/mo) and lasted most of the day (mean = 17.4 h/d). Mean pain intensity in the week before the interview averaged 6.7 (on a 0 to 10 scale), while worst pain intensity averaged 8.6. Two-thirds (67%) of the chronic pain components interfered with daily activities. The most commonly selected pain descriptors were "aching," "sharp," "hot-burning," and "tiring-exhausting." More research is needed to identify better ways to prevent, assess, and treat chronic pain in the veteran SCI population.
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ISSN:0748-7711
1938-1352
1938-1352
DOI:10.1682/JRRD.2005.02.0033