Characteristics and Trends of Chronic Pain Among Chinese Middle Aged and Elderly People in the Past Decades: Based on China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Background: As one of the most common symptoms perplexing aged people, an understanding about chronic pain is needed with the aging of population in China. This study aimed to figure out the characteristics and trends of chronic pain among Chinese middle aged and elderly people in the past decades. Methods: The nationwide survey data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study from 2008 to 2015 were analyzed to describe the characteristics of chronic pain, including its prevalence, intensity and location, pain patients’ quality of life, treatment, and recognitions on pain. Chi-square test and t test were used to compare chronic pain in different years and among participants in different demographic groups. Binary logistic regression was applied to explore factors affecting chronic pain. Result: A total of 62481 middle aged and elderly participants were investigated on chronic pain in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015, and 30.13% of them suffered from chronic pain. The factors affecting chronic pain included age, gender,education, living area, disability, chronic disease, occupation, and food expenditure. Chronic pain located mostly in waist, accounting 13.60% of body pain, followed by legs and knees. Patients with mild, moderate, and severe pain accounted 37.38%, 29.70% and 32.92%, respectively. Pain patients slept 5.86 (±2.05) hours one night in average, which was significantly shorter than overall participants. There were 75.20% of pain patients suffered from depression, which was significantly more than that among overall participants. From 2013 to 2015, the proportion of pain patients receiving no treatment decreased from 39.35% to 26.80%, and the prevalence of taking traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, acupuncture, and professional massage therapy all increased. Patients’ recognition on pain became diversified by time. Conclusion: There were 30.13% of Chinese middle age and elderly people suffering from chronic pain, which were more likely to happen in female, rural, and chronic diseases patients. Chronic pain interfered significantly on patients’ quality of life, and mainly located in waist, legs, and knees. In recent years, more patients received treatment to relieve pain, which might indicate a gradual awareness of chronic pain among middle age and elderly in China.