A comparative analysis of the prevalence and predictors of chronic pain in older adults with and without intellectual disability in Australia

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of study participants in older people with and without intellectual disability.

Characteristics	People with intellectual disability (n  =  391)	People without intellectual disability (n  =  920)
	% (n)	% (n)
Age in years – Mean & (SD)	65.2 (4.4)	71.9 (7.2)
Sex
Female	37.3 (146)	67.9 (625)
Male	62.7 (245)	32.1 (295)
Employment
FT/PT	53.7 (211)	16.9 (155)
No/Retired	46.3 (181)	83.0 (764)
Location
Metro	60.4 (236)	52.2 (516)
Rural	39.6 (155)	40.7 (403)
Employment
FT/PT	53.7 (211)	16.9 (155)
No/Retired	46.3 (181)	83.0 (764)
Financial Vulnerability
≥ −−2	30.4 (119)	20.5 (188)
−1	39.8 (155)	66.0 (607)
0	21.9 (85)	10.4 (96)
≥1	6.7 (30)	3.2 (29)

Table 2. Prevalence and univariate predictors of chronic pain by various health conditions in older people with and without intellectual disability.

Characteristics	People with intellectual disability (n = 391)	People without intellectual disability (N = 920)
	% (n)	% (n)
Chronic pain	26.9 (105)	24.1 (222)
Osteoarthritis	29.2 (114)^a	24.1 (222) ^a
Recent history of recent falls	29.2 (114)^a	9.5 (87)^a
Gum problems	9.0 (35)^a	4.9 (45)^b
Diabetes	25.6 (100)^a	12.7 (117)^n/s
Cancer	10.5 (41)^n/s	8.3 (76)^n/s
Anxiety	22.0 (86)^a	16.0 (147)^a
Depression	22.0 (86)^a	15.3 (141)^a
Sleep	22.3 (87)^a	27.2 (250)^a
SF-12_PCS (Mean, SD)^§	45.8 (9.9)^a	43.6 (11.9)^a
SF12_MCS (Mean, SD)^§	50.4 (9.9)^a	51.5 (10.0)^a

Notes: Statistically significant difference within each cohort for difference by prevalence of chronic pain: a = p < 0.001, b = <0.05, n/s = non-significant. For continuous variables denoted by ^§, statistical difference was assessed using ANOVA.

Table 3. Prevalence and univariate predictors of chronic pain by social indicators in older people with and without intellectual disability.

Characteristics	People with intellectual disability (n = 391)	People without intellectual disability (N = 920)
Adverse Life Events (Mean, SD)^§	2.2 (1.5)^a	1.5 (1.3)^a
DSSI – Interaction subscale (Mean, SD)^§	7.3 (1.6)^n/s	8.2 (1.9)^a
DSSI – Satisfaction subscale (Mean, SD)^§	17.7 (3.0)^n/s	17.9 (3.2)^a
Personal Wellbeing scale (Mean, SD)	55.5 (9.1)	50.8 (12.7)^a
Adverse Life Events (Mean, SD)^§	2.2 (1.5)^a	1.5 (1.3)^a

Notes: Statistically significant difference within each cohort for difference by prevalence of chronic pain: a = p < 0.001, b = <0.05, n/s = non-significant. For continuous variables denoted by ^§, statistical difference was assessed using ANOVA.

Table 4. Multivariable regression for predictors of chronic pain in older people with and without intellectual disability.

	People with intellectual disability	People without intellectual disability
Variable	Adjusted OR (95% CI)	AOR (95% CI)
Age (in years)	1.04 (0.94–1.07)^n/s	0.98 (0.95–1.01)^n/s
Sex
Male	Ref	Ref
Female	0.84 (0.47–1.52)^n/s	1.3 (0.85–1.99)^n/s
Location
Metro	Ref	Ref
Rural	1.05 (0.59–1.88)^n/s	0.93 (0.64–1.37)^n/s
Employment
None/Retired	1.13 (0.62–2.06)^n/s	0.88 (0.48–1.60)^n/s
Employed	Ref	Ref
Osteoarthritis
No	Ref	Ref
Yes	3.85 (2.13–6.65)^c	1.96 (1.29–2.96)^b
Recent history of falls
No	Ref	Ref
Yes	1.07 (0.56–2.40)^n/s	0.84 (0.47–1.59)^n/s
Sore gums
No	Ref	Ref
Yes	2.87 (1.15–7.19)^a	0.79 (0.36–1.74)^n/s
Diabetes
No	Ref	Ref
Yes	0.86 (0.46–1.62)^n/s	1.65 (0.97–2.80)^n/s
Anxiety
No	Ref	Ref
Yes	1.68 (0.87–3.25)^n/s	1.72 (1.11–2.97)^a
Depression
No	Ref	Ref
Yes	1.16 (0.56–2.40)^n/s	2.00 (1.13–3.58)^a
Sleep
No	Ref	Ref
Yes	1.51 (0.78–2.95)^n/s	0.79 (0.51–1.23)^n/s
SF-12_PCS	0.90 (0.87–0.94)^c	0.92 (0.89–0.93)^c
SF12_MCS	0.95 (0.92–0.98)^b	0.96 (0.93–0.98)^b
DSSI – Interaction subscale	1.09 (0.92–1.30)^n/s	1.01 (0.90–1.13)^n/s
DSSI – Satisfaction subscale	1.03 (0.93–1.15)^n/s	0.92 (0.86–0.99)^a
Cummins Wellbeing scale	1.02 (0.93–1.15)^n/s	1.02 (1.01–1.04)^a
Adverse Life Events	1.10 (0.90–1.34)^n/s	1.14 (0.97–1.33)^n/s

Notes: Ref = Reference category; Statistical Significance: a = p < 0.05 b = p < 0.01 c = p < 0.001.