Abstract
The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pain complaints at baseline and mental distress at follow-up.
We included adolescents from two longitudinal studies of 18/19 years of age with two corresponding cross-sectional baseline
studies at age 15/16. A total of 5750 were invited for the baseline study, and we have 3-year follow-up data for 3316 (57.8%
follow-up rate). All information is based on self-report. The questions of pain are asking for severe pain the past year.
Mental distress is measured by Hopkins Symptoms Check List (HSCL-10). Number of pain sites increased among girls and decreased
among boys from baseline to follow-up. There was a cross-sectional dose–response association between number of pain sites
and mental distress at both time points. Also, in the follow-up study, there was dose–response relationship between numbers
of pain sites at baseline and mental distress at follow-up even after controlling for possible confounding factors. We found
no effect of mental distress at baseline on pain reports at follow-up. There is a strong association between pain at 15/16 years
and mental distress at 18/19 years of age. Clinicians should therefore take pain complaints among adolescents seriously and
be aware of comorbid and later development of mental health problems.
We included adolescents from two longitudinal studies of 18/19 years of age with two corresponding cross-sectional baseline
studies at age 15/16. A total of 5750 were invited for the baseline study, and we have 3-year follow-up data for 3316 (57.8%
follow-up rate). All information is based on self-report. The questions of pain are asking for severe pain the past year.
Mental distress is measured by Hopkins Symptoms Check List (HSCL-10). Number of pain sites increased among girls and decreased
among boys from baseline to follow-up. There was a cross-sectional dose–response association between number of pain sites
and mental distress at both time points. Also, in the follow-up study, there was dose–response relationship between numbers
of pain sites at baseline and mental distress at follow-up even after controlling for possible confounding factors. We found
no effect of mental distress at baseline on pain reports at follow-up. There is a strong association between pain at 15/16 years
and mental distress at 18/19 years of age. Clinicians should therefore take pain complaints among adolescents seriously and
be aware of comorbid and later development of mental health problems.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Contribution
- Pages 1-8
- DOI 10.1007/s00787-011-0211-3
- Authors
- Lars Lien, Department of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo, Blindern, Box 1130, 0318 Oslo, Norway
- Kristian Green, Department of Community Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Magne Thoresen, Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Espen Bjertness, Department of General Practice and Community Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Online ISSN 1435-165X
- Print ISSN 1018-8827