Table 2.
Severe Frequent Pain and Associated Factors among Older Jail Inmates, n=210
| Characteristic | Less or no pain (n=129, 61%) | Severe frequent pain (N=81, 39%) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age (SD) | 59.5 (4.3) | 59.4 (3.8) | 0.91 |
| Age 55–64, n (%) | 114 (88.4) | 72 (88.9%) | 0.90 |
| Race/ethnicity, n (%) | |||
| Black | 77 (59.7) | 48 (59.3) | 0.37 |
| White/non-Latino | 25 (19.4) | 22 (27.2) | |
| Latino | 13 (10.1) | 8 (9.9) | |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 10 (7.8) | 2 (2.5) | |
| Female, n (%) | 3 (2.3) | 7 (8.6) | 0.05 |
| Annual income <$15,000, n (%) | 100 (80) | 68 (86.1) | 0.27 |
| High school, GED or more, n (%) | 99 (76.7) | 56 (69.1) | 0.22 |
| Self-rated health, n (%) | |||
| Poor or fair | 53 (41.1) | 58 (71.6) | |
| Good | 39 (30.2) | 15 (18.5) | <0.001 |
| Very good or excellent | 37 (28.7) | 8 (9.9) | |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 77 (59.7) | 58 (71.6) | 0.08 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 24 (18.6) | 14 (17.3) | 0.81 |
| Heart attack or coronary disease, N (%) | 20 (15.5) | 26 (32.1) | 0.01 |
| Congestive heart failure, n (%) | 7 (5.4) | 10 (12.3) | 0.07 |
| Stroke, n (%) | 11 (8.5) | 13 (16) | 0.10 |
| Cancer, n (%)a | 7 (5.4) | 10 (12.3) | 0.70 |
| Chronic lung disease, n (%) | 14 (10.9) | 21 (25.9) | 0.004 |
| HIV/AIDS, n (%) | 5 (3.9) | 6 (7.4) | 0.26 |
| Hepatitis C, n (%) | 55 (42.6) | 53 (65.4) | 0.001 |
| Arthritis or rheumatism, n (%) | 50 (38.8) | 53 (65.4) | <0.001 |
| Multimorbidity, n (%)b | 76 (58.9) | 69 (85.2) | <0.001 |
| Serious mental illness, n (%)c | 56 (43.4) | 48 (59.3) | 0.03 |
| ADL impairment, n (%)d | 23 (18) | 57 (58.8) | <0.001 |
| Bathing | 11 (7.9) | 31 (35.6) | <0.001 |
| Dressing | 7 (5) | 21 (24.1) | <0.001 |
| Toileting | 5 (3.6) | 25 (28.7) | <0.001 |
| Transferring | 17 (12.2) | 39 (45.9) | <0.001 |
| Eating | 6 (4.3) | 27 (31) | <0.001 |
| Needing a cane, wheelchair, or walker | 27 (19.3) | 46 (52.3) | <0.001 |
| Recent Fall(s), n (%)e | 17 (13.4) | 49 (60.5) | <0.001 |
| Drug-/alcohol-related arrest, n (%) | 28 (22.6) | 27 (34.2) | 0.07 |
| Drug use, n (%)f | 72 (55.8) | 46 (56.8) | 0.89 |
| Problem alcohol use, n (%)g | 80 (62) | 47 (58) | 0.57 |
| Homelessness, n (%)h | 62 (48.4) | 36 (45) | 0.63 |
| Medication insecurity, n (%)i | 45 (36.9) | 37 (48.1) | 0.12 |
| Recent acute care use, n (%)j | 54 (42.2) | 52 (65.8) | 0.001 |
Excluding minor skin cancers.
Health conditions determined through self-report and/or documentation in the jail medical record.
Includes any major depressive, manic, or psychotic disorder and was determined through self-report and/or documentation in the jail medical record.
Defined as having difficulty with one or more ADL (bathing, eating, transferring, toileting or dressing)30 and/or needing a cane, wheelchair, walker, or other aid to help with daily activities.
Defined as any self-reported fall to the ground within the last 3 months.
Defined as documentation of current drug use in the jail medical record and/or answering “no” to “In the last year, could you get through the week without using drugs?”
Defined as documentation of current alcohol use disorder in jail medical record or a positive screen on the validated, three-item AUDIT-C.
Defined as needing to spend 1 or more nights outside in a homeless shelter in the 30 days prior to jail.
Defined as answering “yes” to “Was there a time in the last year when you did not have enough money for medications?”
Based on self-report of emergency department use or hospitalization in the 3 months prior to jail.
ADL, activities of daily living.