Depression and the experience of chronic back pain: a study of related variables and age differences

To document the prevalence of depression and examine the relationship between depression and selected pain-related variables associated with chronic back pain among elderly and nonelderly samples.

Survey with mailed questionnaire.

Patients seeking treatment at a spine diagnostic and treatment center.

Consecutive sample of elderly subjects (n = 69). Nonelderly subjects (n = 59) were randomly selected to achieve a sample size comparable to the elderly. Evaluation of depressed mood was determined by Beck Depression Inventory.

Multidimensional Pain Inventory, Pain Disability Index, Pain Duration, Work-Related Disability, Medication Use, and Pain Severity.

A high prevalence of dysphoria was found in both age groups. No significant differences were found between age and depressed mood. The only significant association between depressed mood and age occurred with pain duration, with the elderly experiencing fewer total hours per day in pain. Combining age groups, multivariate analysis of variance revealed that dysphoric chronic pain patients reported more antidepressant use, greater pain intensity, greater interference due to pain, and less life control than the nondepressed patients. Interference in activities demonstrated the strongest relationship with depressed mood in both age groups.

There is a high prevalence of dysphoria in both the elderly and nonelderly with chronic back pain. The relationships between pain-related constructs and depressed mood in chronic back pain patients are similar in the elderly and nonelderly. The impact of the pain experience on the individual's activities, functioning, and feelings of life control should be considered in theoretical and clinical explanations of the association between pain and depression.