Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33201582›Full record

ArticleMusculoskeletal care2021

Musculoskeletal pain and loneliness, social support and social engagement among older adults: Analysis of the Oxford Pain, Activity and Lifestyle cohort.

Philippa J A Nicolson, Esther Williamson, Alana Morris, Maria T Sanchez-Santos, Julie Bruce, Alan Silman, Sarah E Lamb

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Musculoskeletal care, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. The Effect of Everyday-Life Social Contact on Pain.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024
    Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Musculoskeletal Pain: Current and Future Directions of Physical Therapy Practice.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation · 2023
    Article
  15. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Philippa J A NicolsonNuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2394-4867
Esther WilliamsonNuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, UK.
Alana MorrisNuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, UK.
Maria T Sanchez-SantosNuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, UK.
Julie BruceWarwick Clinical Trials Unit, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Alan SilmanNuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, UK.
Sarah E LambNuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, UK.

Funding

Department of Health PTC-RP-PG-0213-20002Versus Arthritis 22428
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMusculoskeletal (MSK) pain is common in older adults. Physical and psychological consequences of MSK pain have been established, but it is also important to consider the social impact. We aimed to estimate the association between MSK pain and loneliness, social support and social engagement.

methodsWe used baseline data from the Oxford Pain, Activity and Lifestyle study. Participants were community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older from across England. Participants reported demographic information, MSK pain by body site, loneliness, social support and social engagement. We categorised pain by body regions affected (upper limb, lower limb and spinal). Widespread pain was defined as pain in all three regions. We used logistic regression models to estimate associations between distribution of pain and social factors, controlling for covariates.

resultsOf the 4977 participants analysed, 4193 (84.2%) reported any MSK pain, and one-quarter (n = 1298) reported widespread pain. Individuals reporting any pain were more likely to report loneliness (OR [odds ratio]: 1.62; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.32-1.97) or insufficient social support (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.08-2.19) compared to those reporting no pain. Widespread pain had the strongest association with loneliness (OR: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.53-2.46) and insufficient social support (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.14-2.54). Pain was not associated with social engagement.

conclusionsOlder adults commonly report MSK pain, which is associated with loneliness and perceived insufficiency of social support. This finding highlights to clinicians and researchers the need to consider social implications of MSK pain in addition to physical and psychological consequences.

Indexed as

LonelinessMusculoskeletal PainAgedHumansLife StyleSocial ParticipationSocial Supportmusculoskeletalolder peoplepsychological and social impact

Identifiers

PMID33201582
PMCPMC8518502

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.