Persistent, consistent, and extensive: The trend of increasing pain prevalence in older americans
Assess trends in pain prevalence from 1992 to 2014 among older U.S. adults and by major population subgroups and test whether the trends can be explained by changes in population composition. Pain is a major population-health problem, especially among older adults. About 100 million U.S. adults experience chronic pain, a number greater than those affected by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. For the nation, the economic burden of pain is enormous, having been estimated at $600 billion. For individuals, pain is unmistakably a determinant of quality of life; it is also the single most highly reported health problem among older adults and one of the most commons reason for health care utilization.
Zimmer Z, Zajacova A. Persistent, consistent, and extensive: The trend of increasing pain prevalence in older americans. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2020;75(2):436-447.
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