Well-being of Veterans with chronic pain with fewer activities limited by pain: Life After Service Survey 2019

Abstract

LAY SUMMARY This study aimed to understand how common chronic pain is among Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans and the characteristics that were related with having fewer activities limited by pain using the Life After Service Survey (LASS) 2019. The LASS was a Statistics Canada telephone survey of CAF Veterans released in 1998–2018. About 1 in 2 (50.7%) reported living with chronic pain. CAF Veterans between 50 and 59 years who were female, employed, had higher education, higher rank, longer length of service, or higher income had fewer activities limited by chronic pain. High levels of mastery (feeling in control of factors affecting one’s life) was linked to having fewer activities limited by pain among people with moderate to severe pain. The strong link between higher mastery and fewer activities limited by pain points to a need for pain management supports addressing aspects of CAF Veterans’ well-being beyond pain severity and physical health.