The prospective association between personality traits and persistent pain and opioid medication use.

TitleThe prospective association between personality traits and persistent pain and opioid medication use.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsSutin, AR, Stephan, Y, Luchetti, M, Terracciano, A
JournalJournal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume123
Pagination109721
Type of ArticleJournal
ISSN Number1879-1360
KeywordsChronic pain, Personality, Prescription Medication
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Pain and prescription opioid medication use are prevalent and a major source of psychological and physical health burden. This research examines whether Five Factor Model personality traits prospectively predict who will experience persistent pain and use prescription opioid medication over a 10-year follow-up.

METHODS: Participants (N = 8491) were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study. At baseline, participants reported on their personality and whether they were in pain. Every two years, participants reported on their pain and, at the most recent assessment, their current use of prescription opioid medication. Logistic regression was used to test whether personality was associated with persistent pain over the up to 10-year follow-up and whether it predicted who would be taking prescription opioid medication.

RESULTS: Neuroticism was associated with higher risk of persistent pain (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.38-1.51) and opioid medication use (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.14-1.29) over the follow-up. Extraversion was associated with lower risk of persistent pain (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.80-0.87) and opioid medication use (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86-0.97). Similarly, Conscientiousness was associated with lower risk of persistent pain (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.79-0.87) and opioid medication use (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.86-0.97).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that personality traits are one psychological characteristic that modulates the likelihood of persistent pain and opioid medication use.

URLhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022399919300315
DOI10.1016/j.jpsychores.2019.04.019
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31103210?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalJ Psychosom Res
Citation Key10112
PubMed ID31103210
PubMed Central IDPMC6679987
Grant ListR01 AG053297 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States