Mental Disorders in Chronic Pain Patients Seeking Treatment at a Tertiary Pain Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The high co-occurrence of chronic pain and mental disorders is well-established. Yet, an up-to-date account of the prevalence of mental disorders according to revised diagnostic criteria is lacking. Aims: The present study investigated the point and lifetime prevalence of a broad range of mental disorders according to DSM-5 in patients with chronic pain and examined associations of current mental health comorbidity with pain catastrophizing and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Method: In this cross-sectional, observational study, patients with self-reported chronic pain receiving inpatient treatment at a specialized tertiary hospital were recruited for participation. Structured clinical interviews were conducted to assess current and lifetime diagnoses of mental disorders. Pain catastrophizing and HRQoL were assessed via questionnaires. Results: 145 patients (63.5% female; M-age = 54.9 years) participated in the study. 57.2% of the sample met the criteria for any current and 77.9% for any lifetime mental disorder. The most prevalent diagnostic groups of current mental disorders were substance-related and addictive disorders (26.2%), somatic symptom and related disorders (17.9%), depressive disorders (17.2%), and anxiety disorders (15.9%). Current mental health comorbidity was significantly associated with increased levels of pain catastrophizing and poorer HRQoL outcomes. Limitations: Chronic pain was only assessed by self-report, and no data regarding the exact medical diagnoses of the participants were collected. Conclusion: Comorbid mental disorders are highly prevalent in patients with chronic pain. Given the adverse effects of this comorbidity, the findings emphasize the need for addressing comorbid mental disorders in the management of chronic pain.