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Is Chronic Pain in Adulthood Related to Childhood Factors? A Population-Based Case-Control Study of Young Adults
CHRISTIAN D. MALLEN, GEORGE PEAT, ELAINE THOMAS, and PETER R. CROFT ABSTRACT. Objective. To investigate whether recalled childhood pain experiences and illnesses are associated with chronic pain in young adults. Methods. A cross-sectional population-based survey recruited participants aged 18–25 years for a case-control study and obtained information on current pain and recalled childhood experiences. In total, 858 respondents were classified as either non-pain controls (n = 276), non-chronic pain cases (pain for ≤ 3 months in the previous 6 months, n = 435), or chronic pain cases (pain of > 3 months' duration, n = 119). Results. 858 young adults responded to the survey (adjusted response rate 37%). Of the recalled exposures in childhood, family members with pain (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.48, 4.15), having more than 2 relatives with pain during childhood (OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.44, 6.40), being admitted to hospital during childhood (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.04, 2.80), and having more illness than one's peer group at secondary school (OR 3.98, 95% CI 1.99, 7.96) were significantly associated with having chronic pain as a young adult, after adjustment for age, sex, and current psychological distress scores. Recall bias was assessed by comparing actual and recalled admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, with no significant differences being found between the participating groups. Conclusion. Several associations were observed between pain status as a young adult and selected self-reported childhood experiences of illness and pain. The role of recall bias cannot be excluded in this retrospective study, but the results emphasize the importance of family and childhood experiences of pain in potentially influencing future adult pain status. (J Rheumatol 2006;33:2286-90) Key Indexing Terms:
CHRONIC PAIN From the Primary Care Sciences Research Centre, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, England. Supported by NHS R&D funding to the North Staffordshire Primary Care Research Consortium. Dr. Mallen is supported by an Arthritis Research Campaign Primary Care Fellowship. C.D. Mallen, MPhil, ARC Primary Care Research Fellow; G. Peat, PhD, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Epidemiology; E. Thomas, PhD, Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics; P.R. Croft, Professor of Primary Care Epidemiology. Address reprint requests to Dr. C.D. Mallen, Primary Care Sciences Research Centre, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, England, ST5 5BG. E-mail: c.d.mallen@cphc.keele.ac.uk Accepted for publication May 19, 2006.
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