Less Exercise and More Drugs: How a Low Income Population Manages Chronic Pain

Publication date: Available online 21 March 2017
Source:Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Author(s): Barbara J. Turner, Natalia Rodriguez, Melissa A. Valerio, Yuanyuan Liang, Paula Winkler, Lisa Jackson
ObjectiveTo evaluate chronic pain management in a multistate, low income, Hispanic population and to examine predictors of exercising and prescription pain medication (PPM) use.DesignOnline survey administered to a representative sample of Hispanic adults in June 2015SettingFive southwestern statesParticipantsAmong all 1007 online panel members who were Hispanic, aged 35-75 years from five states, representing 11,016,135 persons, the survey was completed by 516 members (51%). Among these, 102 participants were identified with chronic non-cancer pain representing 1,140,170 persons.InterventionNot applicableMain Outcome MeasuresExercising or using PPM for chronic pain in past year.ResultsMost participants reported using PPM (58%) and exercise (54%) to manage pain. Compared with annual household incomes >$75,000, adjusted odds ratios [AORs] for exercising were: 0.20 for <$10,000 (P=0.12); 0.40 for $10,000-34,999 (P=0.22), and 0.15 for $35,000-74,999 (P=0.015). Conversely, AORs for PPM were over four-fold higher for lower income groups as follows: 14.2, 4.79, and 4.85 respectively (all P<0.065). PPM users rated importance of accessing a gym to manage pain lower (P=0.01) while exercisers rated feasibility of gym access to manage pain higher (P=0.001).ConclusionsIn a Hispanic population-based sample with chronic pain, lower income groups tended to exercise less but use PPM more. Barriers to gym access and use may play a role in these disparities.



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