Pain experiences among women in midlife with existing health conditions: changes across pre-COVID-19, stay-at-home orders, and initial reopening

Abstract

Objective

To examine the pain experiences of women in midlife with existing health conditions, including changes from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic through the first 6 months of the crisis.

Design

Women ages 40-60 with health conditions (e.g., hypertension; N = 35, M_BMI = 32.2 kg/m²) were prompted to complete 5 surveys per day for 5 days at 3 time points: pre-COVID-19, during stay-at-home orders, and at initial reopening.

Main Outcome Measures

Pain occurrence (yes/no), number of locations, and intensity.

Results

Women reported pain at 35% of surveys, particularly after waking and before bed compared to the middle of the day. The occurrence of pain decreased over time, whereas pain intensity decreased between pre-COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders but then remained stable. The number of pain locations decreased between stay-at-home orders and reopening, and pain was more variable during the pandemic than prior to its onset (srs = 0.24-0.32).

Conclusion

Women experienced decreased pain frequency and intensity from prior to during the COVID-19 pandemic, though pain was less predictable during (vs. prior to) the pandemic. This information may be useful for informing care in this at-risk group, to prevent the development of chronic pain.

Keywords:

• Women’s health
• midlife
• pain
• COVID-19
• ecological momentary assessment
• measurement burst

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Megan M. Brown, B.S., Kristen Pasko, M.A., Laura Emily Vendetta, B.A., and M. Cole Ainsworth, Ph.D. for their contributions to data collection and management, and Drs. Adarsh Gupta and Meagan Vermeulen for their assistance with recruitment.

Data availability

Data are available from the first author upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute under grant number K23HL136657 (PI: Arigo). Further support was provided by the University of Bayreuth Centre of International Excellence "Alexander von Humboldt" (awarded to Arigo and König).