Widowhood and other demographic associations of pain in independent older people.

Objectives: To determine if psychosocial factors, as suggested by the demographic variables of widowhood and living alone, are associated with pain, particularly severe pain, in a representative sample of independent older people.

Design: One thousand older people (65+) randomly selected from independent residents living in a major city were surveyed about their health status (Health Status of Older People Study). Demographic characteristics, including age, gender, education, income, living alone, widowhood, and childlessness, were analyzed by logistic regression for their association with pain report of differing severity.