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Bodily pain severity and emotional pain experience in old age: Analyses of potential mediators from representative Ghana aging survey
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Bodily pain severity and emotional pain experience in old age: Analyses of potential mediators from representative Ghana aging survey

Razak Gyasi, André Hajek, Barnabas Addai Amanfo, Richard Serbeh, Emmanuel Konadu, Desmond Agyei, Priscilla Appiah, Emmanuel Nyaaba, Kabila Abass and David R. Phillips
Journal of psychosomatic research, Vol.190, pp.1-7
03/2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2025.112062

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Abstract

pain severity psychosomatic factors emotional health physical activity sleep quality older adults
Objectives: Data on the association between pain and emotional health outcomes in old age primarily come from high-income samples. This study examines the cross-sectional association of bodily pain with emotional pain in a representative sample from Ghana, a lower-middle-income sub-Saharan African country. The study also investigates the potential mediators in the association. Methods: Participants (N = 1201) from the Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior Study reported their experiences of bodily pain and emotional pain. Pain severity was assessed over the last 30 days using a cross-culturally validated item from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36, while emotional pain was assessed with seven emotional distress items on a 4-level scale over the last 30 days. Multivariable logistic regressions and bootstrapping models assessed the hypothesized association. Results: Mean (SD) age was 66.1 (11.9) years, and 63.3 % were women. Compared to no pain, mild (odds ratio (OR) = 2.05, 95 %CI = 1.31–3.22), moderate (OR = 2.83, 95 %CI = 1.80–4.45), and severe bodily pains (OR = 3.55, 95 %CI = 1.93–6.55) had higher odds for emotional pain. The associations were stronger among women (than men) and the≥65 age group (than the 50–64 age group). Functional limitations (47.1 %), physical activity (26.4 %), and sleep problems (22.2 %) significantly mediated the association. Conclusions: The positive cross-sectional association between bodily pain and emotional pain generalizes to a subSaharan African country. Psychosomatic factors largely accounted for this association. Efforts to improve emotional health may consider pain and the mediators. More studies are needed in low- and middle-income countries to gauge generalizability fully.

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