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DSM-IV pain disorder in the general population

Background: Despite an abundance of questionnaire data, the prevalence of clinically significant and medically unexplained pain syndromes in the general population has rarely been examined with a rigid personal-interview methodology. Objective To examine the prevalence of pain syndromes and DSM-IV pain disorder in the general population and the association with other mental disorders, as well as effects on disability and health-care utilization.

Methods: Analyses were based on a community sample of 4.181 participants 18–65 years old; diagnostic variables were assessed with a standardized diagnostic interview (M-CIDI).

Results: The 12-month prevalence for DSM-IV pain disorder in the general population was 8.1%; more than 53% showed concurrent anxiety and mood disorders. Subjects with pain disorder revealed significantly poorer quality of life, greater disability, and higher health-care utilization rates compared to cases with pain below the diagnostic threshold. The majority had more than one type of pain, with excessive headache being the most frequent type.

Conclusions: Even when stringent diagnostic criteria are used, pain disorder ranks among the most prevalent conditions in the community. The joint effects of high prevalence in all age groups, substantial disability, and increased health services utilization result in a substantial total burden, exceeding that of depression and anxiety.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa.de:bsz:14-qucosa-105073
Date06 February 2013
CreatorsFröhlich, Christine, Jacobi, Frank, Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich
ContributorsTechnische Universität Dresden, Fakultät Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften
PublisherSaechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden
Source SetsHochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typedoc-type:article
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceEuropean Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Bd. 256 (2006), Nr. 3, S. 187-196, ISSN: 0940-1334

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