Characteristics Affecting Medical Consultation Or Non-Consultation For Chronic Pain In Adults In The United States

Abstract

Chronic pain (CP) is a prevalent and debilitating chronic condition, but nearly one in five people with CP do not consult a health care profession for their symptoms. This thesis addresses the extent and characteristics of non-consultation for CP in the United States. I develop a model of non-consultation for people reporting CP that is informed by a biopsychosocial perspective. This preliminary model proposes that symptoms, individual and social characteristics, and access to health care jointly contribute to the choice to consult a health care provider about CP. This model is tested in a large, national sample of adults, the MacArthur Study of Midlife in the United States II (MIDUS II). Results indicate that severity of pain symptoms and having health insurance are the most influential factors predicting consultation for CP. This is consistent with previous research on care-seeking for CP and theories of medical care usage that are not specific to CP. Despite the pertinence of a biopsychosocial perspective on the pain experience, measures that represented the social and psychological context of pain were not significant predictors of non-consultation for CP.