Prevalence, interference, and risk factors for chronic pain among Taiwanese community older people

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence, interference with daily life, and risk factors of chronic pain among older people. A total of 219 older people were interviewed after being selected from communities of Taipei City, Taiwan, by a multiple-stage random-sampling technique. A face-to-face interview with a structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Our findings indicated that 42% (n=92) of older people experience chronic pain. Walking problems and moods were reported as the two leading causes of interference in daily life. There were statistically significant correlations between the presence of chronic pain and being a single female, having a low level of education, being influenced by religious beliefs, and being in poor health. We conclude that in Taipei City, approximately half of the older people have chronic pain and walking and mood problems. From our findings, we recommend paying attention to single females who have poor health and low education levels, as well as gaining a better understanding of the role that religious influences play in chronic pain, to better understand the prevalence of chronic pain in older people.