The Association Between Adverse Life Events, Psychological Stress, and Pain-Promoting Affect and Cognitions in Native Americans: Results from the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk

Overview

Journal J Racial Ethn Health Disparities

Specialties Public Health
Social Sciences

Date 2021 Jan 11

PMID 33428157

Citations 3

Authors

Felicitas A Huber

Parker A Kell

Bethany L Kuhn

Edward W Lannon

Shreela Palit

Michael F Payne

Natalie Hellman

Cassandra A Sturycz

Yvette M Guereca

Tyler A Toledo

Mara J Demuth

Burkhart J Hahn

Joanna O Shadlow

Jamie L Rhudy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Native Americans (NAs) experience higher rates of chronic pain. To examine the mechanisms for this pain inequity, we have previously shown that NAs report higher levels of pain-related anxiety and pain catastrophizing, which are in turn related to pronociceptive (pain-promoting) processes. But, it is currently unclear why NAs would report greater pain-related anxiety and catastrophizing. Given that NAs are also more likely to experience adverse life events (ALEs) and associated psychological distress, it was hypothesized that higher anxiety/catastrophizing in NAs would be partially explained by higher rates of ALEs and psychological distress. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze these pathways (NA ethnicity ➔ ALEs ➔ psychological distress ➔ pain anxiety/catastrophizing) in 305 healthy, pain-free adults (N = 155 NAs, N = 150 non-Hispanic Whites [NHWs]). Pain-related anxiety and situational pain catastrophizing were assessed in response to a variety of painful tasks. The Life Events Checklist was used to assess cumulative exposure to ALEs that directly happened to each participant. A latent psychological distress variable was modeled from self-reported perceived stress and psychological symptoms. Results found that NAs experienced more ALEs and greater psychological distress which was associated with higher rates of pain-related anxiety and pain catastrophizing. Notably, NAs did not report greater psychological distress when controlling for ALE exposure. This suggests that a higher risk of chronic pain in NAs may be due, in part, to psychological distress, pain-related anxiety, and pain catastrophizing that are promoted by exposure to ALEs. These results highlight several targets for intervention to decrease NA pain risk.

Citing Articles

COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stressors, Distress, and Bodily Pain in Native Americans: Results from the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk.

Ventresca H, Kell P, Toledo T, Street E, Huber F, Hellman N J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024; .

PMID: 39612113 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-02234-3.

The Relationship Between Neighborhood Disadvantage and Markers of Chronic Pain Risk: Findings From the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk (OK-SNAP).

Kell P, Huber F, Lowe T, Shadlow J, Rhudy J J Pain. 2024; :104659.

PMID: 39182538 PMC: 11885637. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104659.

Cognitive-Affective-Behavioral Pathways Linking Adversity and Discrimination to Daily Pain in African-American Adults.

Dickens H, Bruehl S, Rao U, Myers H, Goodin B, Huber F J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2022; 10(6):2718-2730.

PMID: 36352344 PMC: 10166769. DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01449-6.

The Relationship Between Adverse Life Events and Endogenous Inhibition of Pain and Spinal Nociception: Findings From the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk (OK-SNAP).

Kell P, Hellman N, Huber F, Lannon E, Kuhn B, Sturycz C J Pain. 2021; 22(9):1097-1110.

PMID: 33819573 PMC: 8419014. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.03.146.

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