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Is childhood pain associated with future mental health problems?

A population based study of young adults in North Staffordshire

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Depression is frequently associated with pain, yet the exact nature of this relationship is still not completely understood. Increasingly it is thought that pain and depression may share a common causal pathway that may originate in childhood.

Methods

A cross-sectional population-based survey recruited participants aged 18–25 years. Participants were asked about their current and childhood pain experiences. Current levels of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results

A total of 858 young adults responded to the questionnaire. Depression was associated with having a family member with pain during childhood (OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.00, 2.26), having more illness than peers during secondary school (1.66; 1.03, 2.67) and having more than three relatives with pain during childhood (OR 2.48; 1.48, 4.15). Adult anxiety was associated with more illness than peers at primary school (1.73; 1.15, 2.61), more ‘emotional’ causes of pain at both primary (1.73; CI 1.13, 2.65) and secondary school (2.06; 1.41, 3.00), and having a family member with pain during childhood (1.39; 1.04, 1.86).

Conclusions

This study adds further evidence of an association between pain experiences in childhood and mental health problems in adulthood. Clinicians should be aware of the importance of assessing childhood pain exposures in adult patients with common mental health problems.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the practices and patients who participated in this study. We would also like to thank the Arthritis research Campaign National Primary Care Centre Administration team and the Keele GP Research Partnership Team for their help. Special thanks are extended to Dr. George Peat and Professor Peter Croft for their help in designing the study and for comments on earlier drafts of this article. An Arthritis Research Campaign Primary Care Fellowship funds Dr. Christian Mallen. Conflict of interest All authors declare they have no conflict of interest. Role of funding source The funder had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

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Correspondence to Christian D. Mallen MPhil, MRCGP.

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Mallen, C.D., Mottram, S. & Thomas, E. Is childhood pain associated with future mental health problems?. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 44, 489–494 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0453-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0453-7

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