A new study by UCL (University College London) researchers has found that people over 50 who experience pain are more likely to have had worsening depression symptoms up to eight years before the pain started.
The study suggests treating depression early might help prevent or reduce later physical pain.
The research, published in eClinicalMedicine, looked at data from 3,668 adults over 50 who reported frequent moderate to severe pain. These individuals were compared to a similar group who did not report such pain.
The researchers discovered that depressive symptoms became worse in the eight years leading up to the pain and stayed high afterwards. In contrast, the group without pain had more stable and lower depression levels.
A similar pattern was found for loneliness. Those in the pain group reported increased feelings of loneliness both before and after pain started, while the non-pain group maintained lower and stable levels of loneliness. Most people with pain had discomfort in their back, knee, hip, or foot.
Lead author Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg explained that depression and loneliness can lead to pain by increasing inflammation and altering pain sensitivity. “Our study shows that these mental health issues worsen long before pain begins, suggesting that early support may help delay or prevent pain.”
The research used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), which surveys people in England every two years.
The results showed that people with lower education and income had the biggest increases in depression before developing pain. This highlights the need for better mental health and social programs, especially for those with fewer resources.
Interestingly, social isolation—defined as having fewer contacts—did not show the same connection to pain. The researchers believe that the quality of social relationships may be more important than the number of social interactions.
While the study focused mostly on white adults in England, the team recommends future research include more diverse populations and younger age groups. Although the study didn’t distinguish between types of pain, the findings were consistent for those reporting pain in multiple surveys, suggesting the results apply to chronic pain.
The study was funded by the Nuffield Foundation’s Oliver Bird Fund and Versus Arthritis, with support for ELSA from UK government departments and the National Institute on Aging.
The study is published in eClinicalMedicine.
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