Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2019–2021

Summary & key facts

Researchers analyzed a large national health survey from 2019 to 2021 to update how common chronic pain is among U.S. adults. They found that about 21% of adults had pain that lasted three months or more, and about 7% had pain severe enough to greatly limit daily activities. The study also found higher rates of chronic pain in some groups, such as American Indian or Alaska Native adults, people who identify as bisexual, and people who are divorced or separated. The report notes links between chronic pain and conditions like depression, dementia, higher suicide risk, and problems with substance use, and it calls for better, fairer access to effective pain care for everyone.

Key facts:

• The study used data from a national survey collected between 2019 and 2021 to estimate how many adults in the United States have chronic pain.
• About 21% of U.S. adults, roughly 52 million people, reported having pain that lasted three months or more in 2021.
• About 7% of U.S. adults, roughly 17 million people, had high-impact chronic pain that substantially limited daily activities in 2021.
• Certain groups had higher rates of chronic pain, including non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults, adults who identify as bisexual, and adults who are divorced or separated.
• The report links chronic pain with other health problems that have been observed before, such as depression, Alzheimer disease and related dementias, higher suicide risk, and substance use or misuse.
• The authors say these findings should guide health systems and clinicians to pay attention to health inequalities and to work toward making pain care accessible, affordable, and better coordinated for all people.

Abstract

Chronic pain (i.e., pain lasting ≥3 months) is a debilitating condition that affects daily work and life activities for many adults in the United States and has been linked with depression (1), Alzheimer disease and related dementias (2), higher suicide risk (3), and substance use and misuse (4). During 2016, an estimated 50 million adults in the United States experienced chronic pain, resulting in substantial health care costs and lost productivity (5,6). Addressing chronic pain and improving the lives of persons living with pain is a public health imperative. Population research objectives in the National Pain Strategy, which was released in 2016 by the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee, call for more precise estimates of the prevalence of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain (i.e., chronic pain that results in substantial restriction to daily activities) in the general population and within various population groups to guide efforts to reduce the impact of chronic pain (3). Further, a 2022 review of U.S. chronic pain surveillance systems identified the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) as the best source for pain surveillance data (7). CDC analyzed data from the 2019-2021 NHIS to provide updated estimates of the prevalence of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain among adults in the United States and within population groups defined by demographic, geographic, socioeconomic, and health status characteristics. During 2021, an estimated 20.9% of U.S. adults (51.6 million persons) experienced chronic pain, and 6.9% (17.1 million persons) experienced high-impact chronic pain. New findings from this analysis include that non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults, adults identifying as bisexual, and adults who are divorced or separated are among the populations experiencing a higher prevalence of chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain. Clinicians, practices, health systems, and payers should vigilantly attend to health inequities and ensure access to appropriate, affordable, diversified, coordinated, and effective pain management care for all persons (8).

Topics

Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Pain Management and Opioid Use

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Pharmacology

Tags

Chronic pain Economic growth Economics Environmental health Gerontology Health care Medicine National Health Interview Survey Nursing Physical therapy Population Public health Socioeconomic status

Conditions & symptoms

Chronic Pain Depression Substance abuse disorder Chronic pain Sadness or low mood