Prevalence of chronic pain and contributing factors: a cross-sectional population-based study among 2,379 Iranian adolescents

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic pain and its contributing factors among teenagers aged 12–21 years in Shiraz, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on adolescents aged 12–21 years. Demographic variables of the adolescents and their parents as well as the pain characteristics were assessed. Descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic regression, and regression models were used to describe the characteristics of the pain and its predictive factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of chronic pain was 23.7%. The results revealed no significant difference between the male and female participants regarding the pain characteristics, except for the home medications used for pain relief. The results of a chi-square test showed that the mother’s pain, education, and occupation, and the father’s education were associated significantly with chronic pain in adolescents (P < 0.05). Multinomial logistic regression also showed the mother’s history of pain played a significant role in the incidence of adolescents’ chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of chronic pain was relatively high in these adolescents. The results also provided basic and essential information about the contributing factors in this area. However, consideration of factors such as anxiety, depression, school problems, sleep, and physical activity are suggested in future longitudinal studies.