Psychological predictors of chronic pain in Al Kharj region, Saudi Arabia

Jamaan Al-Zahrani; Mamdouh M Shubair; Sameer Al-Ghamdi; Khaled K Aldossari; Majid Alsalamah; Badr F Al-Khateeb; Abdulkarim Saeed; Saeed Alshahrani; Aseel Salem AlSuwaidan; Abdullah A Alrasheed; Ashraf El-Metwally

doi:10.1186/s12991-021-00345-3

Psychological predictors of chronic pain in Al Kharj region, Saudi Arabia

Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2021 Mar 26;20(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s12991-021-00345-3.

Affiliations

¹ Family & Community Medicine Department, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia. jmalzahrani@outlook.com.
² School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC, V2N 4Z9, Canada.
³ Family & Community Medicine Department, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Emergency Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, College of Public Health and Health Informatics (CPHHI), King Saud-Bin Abdu-Aziz for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Family Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, College of Public Health and Health Informatics (CPHHI), King Saud-Bin Abdu-Aziz for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, 14611, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Health Programs General Department, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, Ministry of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Background: Psychological distress is one of the major determinants for the experience progression, and recovery of chronic pain. However, it is unclear whether physical pain in specific body sites could be predictive of psychological illness. In this study, we aim to investigate the link between chronic pain in specific anatomical sites and psychological distress represented in the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12 items).

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Al Kharj region of Saudi Arabia. We included 1003 participants. Data were collected using the GHQ-12, and a subjective report on eight anatomical pain sites. Data analysis used statistical software SPSS version 26.0 for Windows statistical package.

Results: Chronic musculoskeletal pain in the neck and head regions was significantly associated with higher psychological distress. Other sites (back, lower limb, chest, abdominal and upper limb pain) were not associated with psychological distress. In multiple regression analysis, chronic 'general' pain was significantly associated with higher psychological distress (unstandardized Beta regression coefficient = 2.568; P < 0.0001). The patients with younger age were more likely to develop negative psychological disorders (unstandardized Beta = - 3.137; P = 0.038). Females were more likely to have higher psychological distress than males (unstandardized Beta = 2.464, P = 0.003). Single (not-married) people have a higher risk of psychological distress than married people (unstandardized Beta = 2.518, P = 0.025). Also, job type/status whether being unemployed (not working) or 'civilian' (civil servant/worker) was positively and significantly associated with an increased probability of psychological distress (unstandardized Beta = 1.436, P = 0.019).

Conclusion: Chronic 'general' pain was significantly associated with negative psychological disorders. The government of Saudi Arabia needs to focus on patients with chronic 'general' pain, females, young and unmarried individuals as potentially 'high-risk' population subgroups for adverse psychological disorders, and subsequent long-term complications.

Keywords: Chronic pain; General Health Questionnaire-12; Psychological distress; Saudi Arabia.