Objective. This study aims to assess the prevalence
of chronic pain, its characteristics, and its
impact on the general Spanish population. Also,
to establish chronic pain patient subgroups according
to the characteristics of pain and to identify
variables specifically associated with each subgroup.
Design. Telephone-based, cross-sectional nationwide
study.
Subjects. A sample of 1,957 individuals representative
of the Spanish population.
Methods. Data were collected through telephone
interviews. A subject was considered to have
chronic pain if they had suffered pain (at least 4 days
a week) during the last 3 months. The subjects were
divided into two subgroups through a cluster analysis,
and a regression model was established to
determine the variables most specifically associated
with these subgroups.
Results. The prevalence of chronic pain was 16.6%
(95% confidence interval: 14.9–18.3) and among
these subjects, more than 50% referred to limitations
in their daily activities, 30% felt sad and/or
anxious, and 47.2% indicated that their pain was
affecting their family life. Two subgroups of subjects
with pain were identified: 1) characterized by generalized
pain in more than one location and of a long
evolution (150 months); and 2) characterized by pain
localized to only one site with a shorter duration
(100 months). Individuals who felt anxious because
of their pain and those who considered that their
pain was affecting their family were more likely to
belong to group 1.
Conclusions. Pain affects an important proportion
of the Spanish adult population and that it has a
strong personal impact. Two pain groups were
clearly distinguished by their clinical characteristics