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Chronic Pain and Depression: A Complex Epidemiological Picture

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Mental Health and Pain

Abstract

Depression and chronic pain are prevalent in the general population but are closely related. Their co-occurrence raises many questions like: How can we identify individuals most likely to suffer from both pain and depression? In which situations do pain leads to depression or vice versa? Using two different studies, this chapter will explore the epidemiology of the co-occurrence of depression and chronic pain. Co-occurrence of pain and depression is not uniformly distributed in the population and affects nearly one person out of 20. Women suffering from chronic pain have the highest risk of depression (37.4 %), are middle aged (≤66 years) and are smokers with low income (<30,000$). As for men suffering from chronic pain, married men earning more than 30,000$ and drinking alcohol once a month or more show the lowest risk of depression (5.4 %). Chronic pain will precede the onset of depression in almost 60 % of patients and could be a consequence of chronic pain. To better understand the co-occurrence of chronic pain and depression, a more comprehensive approach including qualitative and quantitative studies using biological, clinical and epidemiological design is needed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe PRIMUS, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, QC, J1H 5N4, Canada

    Alain Vanasse, Mireille Courteau, Josiane Courteau & Nathalie Carrier

Authors
  1. Alain Vanasse
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  2. Mireille Courteau
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  3. Josiane Courteau
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  4. Nathalie Carrier
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Correspondence to Alain Vanasse .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Recherche Clinique Etienne Le Bel, Sherbrooke, Canada

    Serge Marchand

  2. EPS Barthélémy Durand, Etampes, France

    Djéa Saravane

  3. Faculté de médecine et CRCELB, Sherbrooke, Canada

    Isabelle Gaumond

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Vanasse, A., Courteau, M., Courteau, J., Carrier, N. (2014). Chronic Pain and Depression: A Complex Epidemiological Picture. In: Marchand, S., Saravane, D., Gaumond, I. (eds) Mental Health and Pain. Springer, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-8178-0414-9_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-8178-0414-9_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Paris

  • Print ISBN: 978-2-8178-0413-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-2-8178-0414-9

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