Happiness, Pain Intensity, Pain Interference, and Distress in Individuals with Physical Disabilities

The Role of Resilience, Happiness, and Social Support in the Psychological Function during the Late Stages of the Lockdown in Individuals with and without Chronic Pain

There is mounting evidence to suggest that individuals with chronic pain adjusted poorly to and were impacted negatively by social distancing measures during the lockdown. However, there is limited data on the factors that might protect against the negative effects associated with social distancing measures, as most research has been conducted in the general population and in the initial stages of the lockdown. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the role that resilience, happiness, and social support, all factors that are thought to have a protective role, played in the psychological function (measured as anxiety, depression, and stress) to the social distancing measures during the late stages of the lockdown in a sample of adults with and without chronic pain living in Spain. A group of 434 adults responded to an online survey and provided information on sociodemographic issues, which included measures of pain, perceived health and quality of life, depression, anxiety, stress, resilience, happiness, and social support. The data showed that individuals with chronic pain (N = 200; 46%) reported statistically significant worst psychological function, that is to say, they reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress (all ps < 0.001). Resilience, social support, and happiness proved to be significant predictors of anxiety, depression, and stress, after controlling for the effects of age, gender, and chronic pain. Although the effect sizes were small to medium, they are consistent with the findings of other studies. The findings from this study provide important additional new information regarding the associations between resilience, happiness, and social support and the adjustment to the social distancing measures during the late stages of the lockdown. These findings can be used to develop programs to improve adjustment to and coping with the demands of social distancing measures.

Assessment of Low Back Pain: Reliability and Minimal Detectable Change of the Brief Pain Inventory

IMPORTANCE

The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is one of the most widely used measures to assess pain and related impacts among patients with low back pain (LBP). However, its test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) have rarely been examined in patients with LBP, interfering with its utility.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the test-retest reliability and MDC of the BPI among patients with LBP.

DESIGN

Repeated assessments design with a 1-wk interval.

SETTING

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in a hospital in Taiwan.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifty-four patients with stable LBP conditions.

OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The BPI has two subscales-Intensity and Interference-that assess pain intensity and pain interference, respectively. Their test-retest reliability was examined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and MDCs were calculated.

RESULTS

The ICCs of the Intensity and Interference subscales were .62 and .76, respectively. The MDC values for the two subscales were 2.57 and 2.34, respectively. For the four Intensity items, the average-pain score had a higher ICC (.60) than scores on the other items (worst, least, and current pain, which had ICCs of about .40).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The results suggest that although the BPI is a commonly used measure of pain intensity and pain interference among patients with LBP, caution should be exercised in interpreting the Intensity subscale score and its item scores. What This Article Adds: The BPI is widely used to assess pain and related impacts on daily occupation and functioning among patients with LBP. This study provides information regarding its test-retest reliability. Moreover, the MDC values provide clinicians and researchers with the thresholds for determining real improvement (beyond random measurement error).

Psychosocial resources and chronic pain in individuals with spinal cord injury: evidence from the second Swiss national community survey

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the associations of a set of psychosocial resources with pain and pain-related factors in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and chronic pain.

SETTING

Community, Switzerland.

METHODS

Data from 1,064 individuals with chronic pain who participated in the second community survey of the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study (Survey 2017) were analyzed. Multiple linear regression modeling was performed to test the hypotheses that higher levels of psychosocial resources (self-efficacy, self-esteem, purpose in life, optimism, hope, social support, sense of belonging) are negatively associated with pain intensity, pain interference and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

Higher self-esteem, optimism and hope were related to less pain interference and all psychosocial resources under study were negatively associated with depressive symptoms in final models. However, neither of the psychosocial resources was related to pain intensity when models were adjusted for pain interference and depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings strengthen the evidence that psychosocial resources can have an impact on pain interference and depressive symptoms as pain-related factors, and support the notion that psychosocial resources might be promising targets for pain interventions in individuals with SCI.

No association between G1359A CB1 polymorphisms and pain in young northeastern Mexicans

AIM

Recent studies show an association between the endocannabinoid system and pain. In this study, we analyzed the association between two CNR1 gene polymorphisms and pain perception in a northeast Mexican population.

METHODS

Genotypic and allelic frequencies were obtained for both polymorphisms. Pain threshold, tolerance and perception were measured using the cold pressor task.

RESULTS

No significant association between the polymorphisms and pain perception was found (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Genotypic and allelic frequencies for both polymorphisms were reported for the first time in a Mexican population; however, our results suggest that there is not a significant association between these and pain.

Psychotic-like experiences and happiness in the English general population

BACKGROUND

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) have been associated with a variety of adverse outcomes but how they affect happiness in individuals with PLE is unknown. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess the association between PLEs and happiness, and the factors that may influence this association.

METHODS

Nationally representative data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey including adults aged ≥ 16 years was analyzed. The Psychosis Screening Questionnaire was used to assess past 12-month PLE. Individuals who endorsed at least one of the following were considered to have any PLE: thought control, paranoia, strange experiences, auditory hallucinations. Happiness (3-point scale) was assessed with a validated question with higher scores indicating lower levels of happiness. The association between PLE and happiness was assessed by multivariable ordinal logistic regression. Mediation analysis was also performed.

RESULTS

Among the 7363 individuals included in the analysis, the prevalence of any PLE increased with decreasing levels of happiness [very happy (2.3%), fairly happy (5.4%), not too happy (14.9%)]. This was also shown in the multivariable analysis adjusted for sociodemographic factors and stressful life events (from very happy to not too happy: OR = 2.41; 95%CI = 1.86-3.12). Mediation analysis showed that anxiety disorders explained the largest proportion of the association (38.8%) followed by depressive episode (28.5%), insomnia (21.9%), disability (16.5%), pain (12.5%), social support (10.0%), and physical health conditions (6.0%).

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design limits causal inference.

CONCLUSION

Interventions to identify and address conditions that may have a negative impact on happiness in individuals with PLE may be important to improve their well-being.