Identifying the Relationship Between Chronic Pain,Depression,and Life Satisfaction in Older African Americans

Abstract

Empirical research on the chronic pain experience of older African Americans is scarce. Here, the authors examined the influence psychosocial indicators have on the pain experience in a sample of older African Americans. Data were collected from African Americans (N = 247) 50 to 96 years of age (69.4 ± 9.4). All participants provided self-report data on pain indicators, demographic characteristics, social (social support, locus of control, life satisfaction) variables, and depression. Those reporting higher levels of social support and depressive symptoms experienced greater pain intensity. Pain had an indirect effect on depression as mediated through life satisfaction.These findings demonstrate the need to focus more on the means to prevent and treat pain and to ameliorate its impact on social well-being, psychological functioning, and quality of life in older adults in general and older minority adults in particular.

Keywords

pain African American social support life satisfaction depression

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