The role of catastrophizing and kinesiophobia in pain intensity and interference among older adults with musculoskeletal pain.

INTRODUCTION: Pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia have been associated with pain severity and pain interference in adults. Older adults have specific beliefs and fears about pain and attentional resources that can affect how pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia relate to pain severity and interference. However, studies in older adults are scarce and have a transversal design. OBJECTIVES: This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the association between pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia and pain intensity and interference at the initial assessment and 3-month follow-up in older adults with musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: Sixty-seven older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain were assessed in person for age, sex, years of schooling, body mass index, comorbidities, falls, self-reported physical activity, and pain-related variables (duration, frequency, number of painful body sites, pain phenotype, pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, pain severity, and interference). Pain severity and interference were also assessed (in person) at the 3-month follow-up. Multivariate linear regression analysis with pain interference and pain severity as dependent variables was conducted. RESULTS: Catastrophizing was associated with pain severity (β = 0.50, p < .001; Adjusted R2 = 0.46), and catastrophizing (β = 0.40, p < .001), kinesiophobia (β = 0.28, p = .019), and number of school years (β = -0.20, p = .018) were associated with pain interference at the initial assessment (Adjusted R2 = 0.59). Pain severity at the initial assessment (β = 0.47, p < .001) and number of school years (β = -0.23, p = .028) predicted pain severity at 3-month follow-up (Adjusted R2 = 0.46). Pain interference at the initial assessment (β = 0.63, p < .001) and physical activity (β = -0.17, p = .049) predicted pain interference at 3-month follow-up (Adjusted R2 = 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia are associated with pain severity and interference at the initial assessment and may be considered as part of the clinical assessment for rehabilitation interventions. Pain severity and interference predicted severity and interference, respectively, and should be considered as a prognostic factor.