Nationwide Assessment of Chronic Pain among Hospitalized Individuals with Co-occurring Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorder in the United States

Abstract

Objective: Chronic pain (CP) is independently associated with substance use disorders (SUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, little is known about factors associated with CP among patients with co-occurring PTSD and SUD. Patterns of hospital resource usage should also be explored further. Methods: Using the 2019 National Inpatient Sample (NIS), we identified 216,125 hospital discharges with co-occurring diagnoses of PTSD and SUD in 2019 and examined their association with CP. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with an increased likelihood of CP in this cohort. Results: Among those with co-occurring PTSD and SUD (N = 216,125), 35,450 had associated CP, a prevalence of 164.02 cases per 1,000 discharges (95% CI [160.54, 167.52]). Individuals aged 55–64 with co-occurring PTSD and SUD were approximately 7.2 times more likely to experience CP, compared to those aged 16–24 (OR = 7.2; 95% CI [6.09, 8.60]). Being in the CP group was associated with 50% increased odds of insomnia and obesity (OR = 1.5; 95% CI [1.12, 2.03] and OR = 1.5; 95% CI [1.38, 1.55], respectively), 30% increased odds of anxiety (OR = 1.3; 95% CI [1.24, 1.38]), 20% increased odds of attention deficit disorder (ADD;OR = 1.2; 95% CI [1.12, 1.38]) and 10% increased odds of depression (OR = 1.1; 95% CI [1.01, 1.14]). Compared with females, being male was associated with slightly decreased odds of CP (OR = 0.9; 95% CI [0.84, 0.94]). Conclusions: Among hospitalized Americans with co-occurring PTSD and SUD, advanced age, being female, and the presence other mental health disorders were associated with an increased risk of CP. Providers treating co-occurring PTSD/SUD should evaluate for and consider evidence-based management of CP if present.

Keywords:

• Chronic pain
• co-occurring disorders
• substance use disorders
• posttraumatic stress disorder

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research in Addiction Medicine Scholars (RAMS) Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) R25DA033211. Dr. Barry was supported in part by funding from the NIH (RM1 DA055310; U01 HL150596-01). The funding source was not involved in the study design; collection, analysis, interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.