Table 1 Demographic characteristics and chronic pain history among homeless participants by Chronic Pain Grade (n = 146)
From: Chronic pain among homeless persons: characteristics, treatment, and barriers to management
Characteristic | Chronic Pain | p-value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grade I (n = 11) | Grade II (n = 47) | Grade III (n = 34) | Grade IV (n = 54) | ||
Age (years), mean (sd) | 48.2 (9.2) | 44.9 (11.7) | 45.9 (12.6) | 46.2 (9.3) | 0.826 |
Sex, n (%) | 0.378* | ||||
Male | 7 (63.6) | 39 (83.0) | 29 (85.3) | 43 (79.6) | |
Female | 4 (36.4) | 7 (14.9) | 5 (14.7) | 11 (20.4) | |
Transgendered | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.1) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | |
Lifetime duration of homelessness, n (%) | 0.665 | ||||
< 2 years | 5 (45.5) | 25 (53.2) | 16 (47.1) | 22 (40.7) | |
≥ 2 years | 6 (54.5) | 22 (46.8) | 18 (52.9) | 32 (59.3) | |
Source of income, n (%)† | |||||
Disability benefits | 2 (18.2) | 10 (21.3) | 11 (33.3) | 15 (27.8) | 0.595 |
Social assistance | 3 (27.3) | 9 (19.1) | 8 (24.2) | 11 (20.4) | 0.906 |
Wages or salary | 4 (36.4) | 11 (23.4) | 3 (9.1) | 4 (7.4) | 0.020 |
Highest level of education, n (%) | 0.084 | ||||
Less than high school | 1 (9.1) | 18 (38.3) | 15 (44.1) | 27 (50.0) | |
High school or equivalent | 10 (90.9) | 29 (61.7) | 19 (55.9) | 27 (50.0) | |
Has a regular medical doctor, n (%) | 7 (63.6) | 20 (42.6) | 21 (61.8) | 36 (66.7) | 0.087 |
Duration of chronic pain (years), mean (sd)‡ | 7.5 (6.8) | 9.8 (9.8) | 8.3 (9.0) | 12.5 (10.9) | 0.184 |
Age at onset of pain (years), mean (sd) | 40.6 (11.9) | 35.4 (13.6) | 37.6 (13.3) | 33.7 (13.2) | 0.339 |
Location of pain, n (%)† | |||||
Back | 2 (18.2) | 18 (38.3) | 20 (58.8) | 34 (63.0) | 0.009 |
Knees | 4 (36.4) | 11 (23.4) | 8 (23.5) | 18 (33.3) | 0.579 |
Shoulders | 2 (18.2) | 7 (14.9) | 6 (17.6) | 16 (29.6) | 0.292 |
Feet | 2 (18.2) | 11 (23.4) | 5 (14.7) | 9 (16.7) | 0.754 |
Legs | 0 (0.0) | 5 (10.6) | 3 (8.8) | 16 (29.6) | 0.009 |
Hands | 0 (0.0) | 7 (14.9) | 5 (14.7) | 10 (18.5) | 0.483 |
Hips | 1 (9.1) | 7 (14.9) | 5 (14.7) | 8 (14.8) | 0.965 |
Ankles | 3 (27.3) | 6 (12.8) | 2 (5.9) | 10 (18.5) | 0.228 |
Abdomen/genitourinary | 1 (9.1) | 7 (14.9) | 2 (5.9) | 8 (14.8) | 0.571 |
Neck | 1 (9.1) | 5 (10.6) | 2 (5.9) | 8 (14.8) | 0.623 |
Widespread pain | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.1) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (5.6) | -- |
Other location | 5 (45.5) | 13 (27.7) | 9 (26.5) | 28 (51.9) | -- |
Cause of pain, n (%)† | |||||
Injury | 7 (63.6) | 26 (55.3) | 20 (58.8) | 34 (63.0) | 0.875 |
Arthritis | 1 (9.1) | 5 (10.6) | 7 (20.6) | 13 (24.1) | 0.278 |
Other | 2 (18.2) | 21 (44.7) | 15 (44.1) | 23 (42.6) | -- |
Don't know | 1 (9.1) | 7 (14.9) | 6 (17.6) | 11 (20.4) | 0.784 |
Unmet needs for pain management, n (%) | 2 (18.2) | 12 (25.5) | 9 (26.5) | 16 (29.6) | 0.878 |
Number of barriers to pain management, mean (sd)§ | 2.6 (2.7) | 3.7 (3.2) | 5.6 (3.1) | 7.3 (3.8) | < 0.001 |
Pain control, n (%) | < 0.001 | ||||
Very or somewhat controlled | 10 (90.9) | 35 (76.1) | 14 (41.2) | 19 (35.2) | |
Very or somewhat uncontrolled | 1 (9.1) | 11 (23.9) | 20 (58.8) | 35 (64.8) | |
Satisfaction with medical care, n (%)** | 0.049 | ||||
Very or somewhat satisfied | 4 (100.0) | 14 (63.6) | 16 (72.7) | 16 (44.4) | |
Very or somewhat unsatisfied | 0 (0.0) | 8 (36.4) | 6 (27.3) | 20 (55.6) | |
Currently being treated for pain in body, n (%) | 1 (9.1) | 16 (34.0) | 18 (52.9) | 25 (46.3) | 0.042 |
Treatments used for pain in past 3 months, n (%)† | |||||
OTC medications | 5 (45.5) | 21 (44.7) | 19 (55.9) | 25 (46.3) | 0.766 |
Street drugs | 3 (27.3) | 18 (38.3) | 18 (52.9) | 28 (51.9) | 0.253 |
Prescription medications†† | 1 (9.1) | 13 (27.7) | 21 (61.8) | 30 (55.6) | < 0.001 |
Alcohol | 1 (9.1) | 15 (31.9) | 9 (26.5) | 18 (33.3) | 0.412 |
Other therapies‡‡ | 3 (27.3) | 14 (29.8) | 4 (11.8) | 14 (25.9) | -- |
Concurrent medical conditions† | |||||
Depression | 4 (36.4) | 15 (31.9) | 16 (47.1) | 23 (42.6) | 0.532 |
Arthritis | 3 (27.3) | 12 (25.5) | 11 (32.4) | 26 (48.1) | 0.099 |
Asthma | 1 (9.1) | 11 (23.4) | 15 (44.1) | 18 (33.3) | 0.085 |
Liver problems or hepatitis | 2 (18.2) | 11 (23.4) | 10 (29.4) | 19 (35.2) | 0.502 |
High blood pressure | 3 (27.3) | 9 (19.1) | 10 (29.4) | 18 (33.3) | 0.452 |
Migraine headaches | 0 (0.0) | 7 (14.9) | 12 (35.3) | 19 (35.2) | 0.013 |
COPD | 1 (9.1) | 7 (14.9) | 7 (20.6) | 14 (25.9) | 0.425 |
Stomach or intestinal ulcers | 0 (0.0) | 5 (10.6) | 5 (14.7) | 14 (25.9) | 0.074 |
Heart disease | 0 (0.0) | 2 (4.3) | 7 (20.6) | 8 (14.8) | 0.068 |
Other conditions | 4 (36.4) | 16 (34.0) | 20 (58.8) | 36 (66.7) | -- |
Count of concurrent medical conditions, mean (sd) | 1.6 (0.9) | 2.2 (1.8) | 3.5 (2.1) | 4.0 (2.7) | < 0.001 |
Substance use in past 3 months, n (%)† §§ | |||||
Alcohol | 5 (45.5) | 31 (66.0) | 21 (61.8) | 36 (66.7) | 0.583 |
Marijuana | 2 (18.2) | 23 (48.9) | 21 (61.8) | 26 (48.1) | 0.093 |
Cocaine and other stimulants | 3 (27.3) | 14 (29.8) | 18 (52.9) | 17 (31.5) | 0.117 |
Opiates*** | 3 (27.3) | 16 (34.0) | 16 (47.1) | 17 (31.5) | 0.435 |
Sleeping pills or sedatives | 2 (18.2) | 8 (17.0) | 7 (20.6) | 10 (18.5) | 0.983 |
Other drugs | 0 (0.0) | 2 (4.3) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (5.6) | -- |
CAGE score, mean (sd)††† | 0.6 (0.9) | 1.2 (1.4) | 1.3 (1.5) | 1.6 (1.6) | 0.500 |