Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR&D Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

Anxiety but not social stressors predict 12-month depression and pain severity.

Bair MJ, Poleshuck EL, Wu J, Krebs EK, Damush TM, Tu W, Kroenke K. Anxiety but not social stressors predict 12-month depression and pain severity. The Clinical Journal of Pain. 2013 Feb 1; 29(2):95-101.

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.
   Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions



Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether baseline anxiety and social stressors as well their early change (first 3 months) predict 12-month depression and pain severity. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Stepped Care for Affective Disorders and Musculoskeletal Pain study, a randomized clinical trial of a combined medication-behavioral intervention for primary care patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and depression. Using multivariable linear regression modeling, we examined the independent association of baseline anxiety and social stressors with depression and pain severity at 12 months. In addition, we modeled whether changes in anxiety and social stressors predicted 12-month depression and pain severity. RESULTS: Overall, the sample (N = 250) was 52.8% women with a mean age of 55.5 years, and a racial distribution of 60.4% white, 36.4% black, and 3.2% other. Depression and pain were moderately severe at baseline (mean SCL-20 depression = 1.9 and Brief Pain Inventory pain severity = 6.15) and similar across intervention and usual care arms. Baseline anxiety symptoms predicted both depression (t score = 2.13, P = 0.034) and pain severity (t score = 2.75, P = 0.007) at 12 months. Also, early change in anxiety predicted 12-month depression (t score = -2.47, P = 0.014), but not pain. Neither baseline nor early change in social stressors predicted depression or pain severity. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety, but not social stressors predict 12-month depression and pain severity. The presence of comorbid anxiety should be considered in the assessment and treatment of patients with musculoskeletal pain and depression, particularly as a factor that may adversely affect treatment response.





Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.