Characteristics and complexity of chronic pain patients referred to a community-based multidisciplinary chronic pain clinic

Figures & data

Figure 1. Patient records included and excluded in the study. Also shown are patient records included in FluidSurveys versus Ocean software and the number of EMR-hosted SYNC surveys linked to Ocean intake questionnaire.

Table 1. Patient demographics.

Variable (total denominator, N = 935 or N = 556)	%
Patient demographics and characteristics
Age, mean (SD) (n = 906/935)	49.5 (14.9)
BMI, mean (SD) (n = 522/556)	26.4 (7.1)
Gender (n = 935)
Female	69.1
Male	29.6
Nonbinary	1.3
Ethnicity/race (n = 934/935)
Caucasian/European descent	71.8
Visible minority	27.9
Indigenous^a (n = 935)	5.2
Employment (n = 935)
Full- or part-time work	43.7
Unable to work due to disability	29.9
Education (n = 935)
Without high school education	3.6
High school education	13.8
Some college or university	41.8
Postsecondary credentials	39.8
Marital status (n = 935)
Married	55.6
Never married	25.1
Separated (widowed, divorced, other)	19.3

^aIncludes First Nations with or without status, Metis, and Inuk.

BMI = body mass index.

Figure 2. Individual annual income (before taxes) of patients in Canadian dollars (n = 747 out of 935 reported income; 188 preferred not to say).

Table 2. Pain-related characteristics.

Variables (total denominator, N = 935 or N = 414)	%
Cause(s) of pain (“select all the apply”) (n = 935)
Car accident	35.7
Other physical strain or injury	17.6
Medical illness	17.0
Repetitive strain	16.7
Sports or recreation injury	14.5
Surgery or medical procedure	13.2
Workplace injury	10.7
I don’t know	28.7
Duration of pain (n = 935)
<6 months	1.8
6 months to <1 year	4.7
1–5 years	42.9
5–10 years	22.7
10–20 years	17.9
>20 years	10.1
Pain during childhood	11.9
Pain distribution (n = 315/414)
More than one pain area	51.1
Only one pain area	48.9
Primary pain areas (n = 337/414)
Head and jaw	14.7
Neck	14.1
Upper back	10.9
Upper arm^a	10.5
Torso (chest, ribs, abdomen)	5.1
Lower back	25.2
Buttock, pelvis, hip	20.8
Lower leg^b	10.2
Pain-related stressors (n = 855/935)
Family and relationships	45.8
Work, school, or functional stress/loss	44.7
Financial and legal manners	41.6
Chronic pain	33.9
Self-reported PTSD symptoms/diagnosis (n = 935)	26.6

^aIncludes shoulder, upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand.

^bIncludes upper leg, knee, lower leg, ankle, and foot.

PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder.

Table 3. Patient-reported current medications at intake.

Medication class (N = 926 out of 935)	%
Opioids
All	33.5
T3, T1, codeine, hydrocodone	10.2
Hydromorphone, morphine	7.2
Fentanyl, oxycodone/contin/neo, percocet	7.2
Tramacet, tramadol	6.8
Buprenorphine, methadone	1.0
Other	0.2
Nonopioids
Antidepressants	32.9
NSAIDs	29.2
No current pain-related medications	26.6
Anticonvulsants	25.4
Muscle relaxants	17.0
Medications for sleep	16.6
No current medications	6.4
Synthetic marijuana (e.g., nabilone, Sativex)	4.5

NSAIDs = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Table 4. Patient-reported past health service utilization.

Variable (“select all that apply”; N = 935)	%
Health care service utilization (n = 935)
Physiotherapy	91
Massage	82
Chiropractic	69
ED or walk-in clinic	65
Self-management strategies (n = 545)	59
Walk-in clinic	52
Psychologist/counselor	52
Emergency department	44
Pain management by a GP	44
Naturopathy	35
Pain specialist	34
Kinesiology	29
Nutritionist	27
Occupational therapy	23
Private-pay therapies	20
Osteopathy	15
Indigenous healer	7

ED = emergency department; GP = general practitioner.

Table 5. Patient-reported past medical, surgical, and injury history.

Variable (“select all that apply”; N = 935)	%
Past medical history (n = 926)
Hypertension	14.2
Irritable bowel disease/syndrome	13.6
Thyroid disease	13.3
Lung disease	11.9
Anemia	10.3
Osteoporosis	9.8
Cancer	7.5
Diabetes	7.0
Cardiovascular disease	5.5
Kidney disease	2.5
Stroke	1.6
No medical condition	40.2
Surgical history (n = 913)
Other surgery	42.6
Abdominal	25.2
Knee	11.3
Hand or wrist	10.5
Foot or ankle	8.6
Lumbar	7.6
Pelvic	7.0
Shoulder	4.7
Hip	3.7
Chest or thoracic	3.7
Arm or elbow	3.4
Leg	3.3
Cervical	3.1
Other spinal	1.5
No surgery	21.2
Injury history (n = 913)
Car accident	54.0
Fall	38.6
Sports injury	34.8
Fracture	32.8
Repetitive strain	28.3
Other injury	20.4
Work injury	19.6
No injury	11.4

Table 6. Baseline pain-related outcome measures.

Variable (N = 414)	% or mean (SD)
BPI (n = 371)
Mean (SD)	44.16 (14.44)
0–13 (mild pain interference)	4
14–41 (moderate pain interference)	33
42–70 (severe pain interference)	63
Pain Severity Scale (n = 381)
Mean (SD)	5.44 (1.93)
0 to 3 (mild intensity)	15.7
4 to 6 (moderate intensity	50.7
7 to 10 (severe intensity)	33.6
PHQ-9 (n = 374)
Mean (SD)	12.17 (6.59)
0 to 9 (none–mild depression)	40.1
10 to 19 (moderate depression)	44.7
20 to 27 (severe depression)	15.2
PRSS-ACT, mean (SD) (n = 337)	2.80 (0.93)
PRSS-CAT, mean (SD) (n = 344)	2.61 (1.15)
PSEQ, mean (SD) (n = 356)	29.2 (13.56)

BPI = Brief Pain Inventory; PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire–nine items; PRSS-ACT = Pain-Related Self-Statement Scale (Active Coping); PRSS-CAT = Pain-Related Self-Statement Scale (Catastrophizing); PSEQ = Patient Self-Efficacy Questionnaire.