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. 2018;11(4):255-264.
doi: 10.3233/PRM-170517.

Pain and health status in adults with myelomeningocele living in Sweden

Ann Alriksson-Schmidt  1   2 , Annika Lundkvist Josenby  2   3 , Barbro Lindquist  4 , Lena Westbom  2   5
Affiliations

Pain and health status in adults with myelomeningocele living in Sweden

Ann Alriksson-Schmidt et al. J Pediatr Rehabil Med. 2018.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Pain; adults; myelomeningocele; quality of life; self-reported health; spina bifida.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Pain interference with work or sleep during the past 4 weeks.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Self-reported severity of current pain in relation to muscle function level.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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