Chronic Pain in a Low Socioeconomic Status Population in Singapore: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose. The authors sought to determine the prevalence of chronic pain in a low socioeconomic-status rental-flat community in Singapore and its associations. In Singapore, 85% own homes; public rental flats are reserved for the low-income. Methods. Chronic pain was defined as pain a parts per thousand yen3 months. From 2009-2014, residents aged a parts per thousand yen 40 years in five public rental-flat enclaves were surveyed for chronic pain, as well as sociodemographic factors. Subsequently, the authors conducted an additional study among elderly (aged a parts per thousand yen60) in two public rental-flat enclaves in 2012. The authors compared against residents staying in adjacent owner-occupied public housing. Results. Prevalence of chronic pain in the rental-flat population was 14.2% (133/936) compared with 14.4% (158/1101) in the owner-occupied population (p = 0.949). On multivariate analysis, among those aged 40-59 years, staying in the rental flat community was independently associated with higher prevalence of leg/ankle/foot pain, compared to staying in the owner-occupied flat community (aOR = 2.35, CI = 1.24-7.35, p = 0.008). In the rental-flat population, unemployment was associated with chronic pain (aOR = 1.92, 95%, CI = 1.05-2.78, p = 0.030); among the elderly, dependency in instrumental-activities-of-daily-living (iADLs) was associated with chronic pain (aOR = 2.38, CI = 1.11-5.00, p = 0.025), as well as female gender, being single, and having higher education (all p > 0.05). Conclusions. In this low socioeconomic-status population, chronic pain associated with unemployment and functional limitation. There was no difference in pain prevalence between the rental-flat population and adjacent owner-occupied precincts.