Socioeconomic position and variations in coping strategies in musculoskeletal pain: a cross-sectional study of 1,287 40- and 50-year-old men and women.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Socioeconomic position and variations in coping strategies in musculoskeletal pain: a cross-sectional study of 1,287 40- and 50-year-old men and women.

AU - Christensen, Ulla

AU - Schmidt, Lone

AU - Hougaard, Charlotte Ørsted

AU - Kriegbaum, Margit

AU - Holstein, Bjørn Evald

N1 - Keywords: Activities of Daily Living; Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Pain; Problem Solving; Questionnaires; Social Class; Socioeconomic Factors; Stress, Psychological

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between socioeconomic position and coping strategies in musculoskeletal pain. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Cross-sectional study of a random sample of 40- and 50-year-old Danes, participation rate 69%, n=7,125. The study included 1,287 persons who reported functional limitations due to musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: Data was collected by postal questionnaires and scales were developed on problem-solving coping and avoidant coping, based on a range of preliminary studies. Multivariate logistic regression analyses was used to study the correlation with socioeconomic position, measured by occupational social class. RESULTS: Among women, there was no correlation between social class and avoidant coping, but a significant decrease in the use of problem-solving coping by decreasing social class, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.64 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31-5.32) in social class V vs social classes I + II. Among men, there was no correlation between social class and problem-solving coping, but a significant increase in the use of avoidant coping with decreasing social class, adjusted OR = 3.31 (95% CI 1.75-6.25) in V vs I + II. CONCLUSION: It is important for clinicians who advise and support patients in their response to musculoskeletal pain to be aware of socioeconomic differences in coping strategies. Gender differences in the association between socioeconomic factors and coping should be further investigated.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between socioeconomic position and coping strategies in musculoskeletal pain. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Cross-sectional study of a random sample of 40- and 50-year-old Danes, participation rate 69%, n=7,125. The study included 1,287 persons who reported functional limitations due to musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: Data was collected by postal questionnaires and scales were developed on problem-solving coping and avoidant coping, based on a range of preliminary studies. Multivariate logistic regression analyses was used to study the correlation with socioeconomic position, measured by occupational social class. RESULTS: Among women, there was no correlation between social class and avoidant coping, but a significant decrease in the use of problem-solving coping by decreasing social class, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.64 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.31-5.32) in social class V vs social classes I + II. Among men, there was no correlation between social class and problem-solving coping, but a significant increase in the use of avoidant coping with decreasing social class, adjusted OR = 3.31 (95% CI 1.75-6.25) in V vs I + II. CONCLUSION: It is important for clinicians who advise and support patients in their response to musculoskeletal pain to be aware of socioeconomic differences in coping strategies. Gender differences in the association between socioeconomic factors and coping should be further investigated.

U2 - 10.1080/16501970600766467

DO - 10.1080/16501970600766467

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16931462

SN - 1650-1977

VL - 38

SP - 316

EP - 321

JO - Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

JF - Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

IS - 5

ER -