Chronic Pain, Comorbid Medical Conditions, and Associated Risk Factors in Kuwait: Gender and Nationality Differences.

Objective: Chronic pain is an international health problem that imposes enormous costs on societies around the world. There is good reason to suspect that chronic pain is a serious health issue in Kuwait and is associated with comorbid medical conditions like diabetes. The aim of this study is to examine the report of pain and incidence of medical comorbidities among a large convenience sample of patients treated at a private rehabilitation center in Kuwait and to examine differences in patient groups based on age, gender, and Kuwaiti nationality.

Methods: This study examined intake data from 2,103 patients treated at a rehabilitation center in Kuwait. Most of the subjects were female (55.4%) and averaged 43.3 years of age (±14.5, range 18-88). Sixty nine percent were Kuwaiti citizens and 57.9% were employed.

Results: Marked differences in pain and health-related conditions were found between Kuwaiti nationals and non-Kuwaitis, with significantly increased incidences of hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes, asthma, osteoporosis, and cardiac and respiratory problems among the Kuwaitis (P < 0.001). Notable gender differences were also identified with women reporting more intense, widespread pain, and reporting more comorbid medical problems compared with men (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: This extensive survey study that found female Kuwaitis to have a higher incidence of pain and medical comorbidities than males and non-Kuwaitis highlights the role of cultural factors in contributing to pain and comorbid medical conditions. This information is critical in organizing resources to implement adequate healthcare services and behavioral interventions in Kuwait and other Arab countries to improve pain and health-related conditions.