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Discrimination hurts: The effect of discrimination on the development of chronic pain

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  • Brown, Timothy T.
  • Partanen, Juulia
  • Chuong, Linh
  • Villaverde, Vaughn
  • Chantal Griffin, Ann
  • Mendelson, Aaron

Abstract

We examine the hypothesis that psychological distress due to perceived discrimination can result in chronic pain, where perceived discrimination is based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, height/weight, religion, and other characteristics. Using a sample of 1908 individuals from the two most recent waves (2004–2006 and 2013–2014) of panel data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, we apply instrumental variables regression where measures of daily and lifetime perceived discrimination are instruments whose effects on chronic pain are mediated by psychological distress. We find statistically significant dose-response relationships between daily perceived discrimination and psychological distress, between lifetime perceived discrimination and psychological distress, and between psychological distress and chronic pain. Based on our instrumental variables regression model, we estimate that 4.1 million people in the US in 2016, aged 40 and older, experience chronic pain that is caused by increased psychological distress, where psychological stress has increased due to perceived discrimination.

Suggested Citation

  • Brown, Timothy T. & Partanen, Juulia & Chuong, Linh & Villaverde, Vaughn & Chantal Griffin, Ann & Mendelson, Aaron, 2018. "Discrimination hurts: The effect of discrimination on the development of chronic pain," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 1-8.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:204:y:2018:i:c:p:1-8
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.03.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Brooke Y. Redmond & Aniqua Salwa & Tanya Smit & Joseph W. Ditre & Lorra Garey & Michael J. Zvolensky, 2023. "Pain Severity and Smoking Abstinence Expectancies among Latinx Individuals Who Smoke Cigarettes: The Moderating Role of Perceived Discrimination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Woods, Sarah B. & Priest, Jacob B. & Kuhn, Veronica & Signs, Tara, 2019. "Close relationships as a contributor to chronic pain pathogenesis: Predicting pain etiology and persistence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Wilkinson, Lindsay R. & Schafer, Markus H. & Wilkinson, Renae, 2020. "How painful is a recession? An assessment of two future-oriented buffering mechanisms," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    4. Macchia, Lucía, 2022. "Pain trends and pain growth disparities, 2009–2021," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    5. Hisler, Garrett C. & Brenner, Rachel E., 2019. "Does sleep partially mediate the effect of everyday discrimination on future mental and physical health?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 115-123.
    6. Macchia, Lucía & Oswald, Andrew J., 2021. "Physical pain, gender, and the state of the economy in 146 nations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    7. Levy, Becca R. & Pietrzak, Robert H. & Slade, Martin D., 2023. "Societal impact on older persons’ chronic pain: Roles of age stereotypes, age attribution, and age discrimination," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    8. Ng, Wee Qin & Hartanto, Andree, 2022. "The effect of executive function on the development of chronic pain: A prospective longitudinal study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).

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