Daily, but not lifetime discrimination is associated with greater pain interference in those with chronic pain

Experiences of being discriminated against based on some aspect of one\u0027s identity are associated with enhanced pain – both clinically and in the laboratory. However, much of the extant research has assessed the impact of racial discrimination, and has focused on pain severity or the development of chronic pain. Discrimination based on other aspects of identity and its association with pain interference has received less attention, and no direct relationship between the two has been found. Using data from the Midlife in the United States (N=1252, 57.8% female) national survey, we assessed whether both daily and/or lifetime experiences with discrimination based on any aspect of one\u0027s identity – including race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, physical appearance, and sexual orientation – could predict pain interference among participants with a range of chronic pain conditions. Results indicated that daily (βdaily=.076, p=.006) but not lifetime (βlifetime=.024, p=.39) experiences with discrimination positively predicted pain interference, controlling for self-rated physical and mental health, number of other chronic conditions, BMI, depression, anxiety, and demographics. This association was driven by a stronger relationship among women (βdaily=.097, p=.008; βlifetime=.044, p=.21) than men (βdaily=.062, p=.15; βlifetime=-.01, p=.76). These findings are the first to describe a direct association between daily discrimination based on any aspect of one\u0027s identity and pain interference, particularly among women. Results also indicate that daily experiences of discrimination based on any aspect of one\u0027s identity – and perhaps especially those that are more likely to affect or have a greater impact on women – compound pain\u0027s interference on daily life.