Pain and health status in adults with myelomeningocele living in Sweden.

PURPOSE: To increase knowledge about pain and general health in adults with myelomeningocele, a health condition with several risk factors for pain such as musculoskeletal deformities, shunt dysfunctions, bowel problems, and urinary tract infections/stones.

METHODS: Descriptive correlational pilot study (N= 51, 53% males). Chi-square tests were used to test associations among presence, impact, severity, and pain site in relation to sex and age. ANOVA was used to analyze associations between sex, age, and general health (today).

RESULTS: Seventy-three percent reported pain in the past four weeks. No significant sex or age differences were associated with the presence of pain. Women were significantly more likely to report that pain interfered with work, χ2(1, N= 41) = 5.53, p= 0.02. There were significant main effects for sex and age on general health (today), F(2, 44) = 5.63, p= 0.007, adjusted R2= 0.17. Women scored lower on general health (today) (mean = 63.58) than men (mean = 76.33). Older individuals reported worse general health (today) than did younger (B=-0.89, t=-2.79, p= 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS: Pain was frequent, and pain sites differed widely. Women were more likely to report that pain interfered with work, and scored lower on health, as did older persons.