The Clinical journal of pain
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Comparative Study
Depression and the experience of chronic back pain: a study of related variables and age differences.
To document the prevalence of depression and examine the relationship between depression and selected pain-related variables associated with chronic back pain among elderly and nonelderly samples. ⋯ There is a high prevalence of dysphoria in both the elderly and nonelderly with chronic back pain. The relationships between pain-related constructs and depressed mood in chronic back pain patients are similar in the elderly and nonelderly. The impact of the pain experience on the individual's activities, functioning, and feelings of life control should be considered in theoretical and clinical explanations of the association between pain and depression.