BMC Public Health has published a new study by the Observatory of Pain team analysing the differences between women and men with chronic pain in Spain and the factors associated with their health-related quality of life. The work is based on data from the 2022 Barometer of Chronic Pain in Spain, a representative survey of the adult Spanish population that stands as one of the most comprehensive and rigorous sources available on this reality in our country.
The results confirm that chronic pain has a significant impact on both physical and mental health, but reveal something particularly meaningful: the factors associated with that deterioration are not the same in women as in men. Among the elements that most influence the loss of quality of life are higher pain intensity, the presence of depression and the need for sick leave. Furthermore, certain specific clinical conditions affect people differently depending on their sex, and variables such as educational level and social support may also play a relevant role in certain cases.
The findings reinforce something the scientific community has long been highlighting: the need to incorporate a sex and gender perspective both in the analysis of chronic pain and in the design of healthcare strategies. Identifying which factors most deteriorate quality of life in each case is the first step towards developing more tailored and effective interventions for patients. A step forward in knowledge that the Observatory of Pain places at the service of a reality affecting millions of people in Spain.
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