Coping With Chronic Pain After Traumatic Brain Injury: Role of Race/Ethnicity and Effect on Participation Outcomes in a TBI Model Systems Sample.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate catastrophizing and self-efficacy for managing pain among Non-Hispanic Whites, Non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanics with chronic pain after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and whether coping interacts with race/ethnicity to predict participation outcomes.

SETTING

Community after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.

PARTICIPANTS

621 individuals with moderate to severe TBI and chronic pain, who completed follow-up as part of a national longitudinal study of TBI and also participated in a collaborative study on chronic pain.

DESIGN

Multicenter, cross-sectional, survey study.

MAIN MEASURES: Catastrophizing subscale from the Coping With Pain Scale; Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire; Participation Assessment With Recombined Tools-Objective.

RESULTS

After controlling for relevant sociodemographic variables, a significant interaction was observed between race/ethnicity and insurance status, such that Blacks who had public health insurance reported greater catastrophizing in response to pain compared with Whites. Race/ethnicity and self-efficacy for managing pain were unrelated. Greater catastrophizing was associated with lower participation but did not interact with race/ethnicity. Blacks reported lower participation relative to Whites, independent of catastrophizing.

CONCLUSIONS

Black individuals who have TBI and chronic pain, and who have public insurance, may be vulnerable to difficulties managing pain. They are more likely to cope by catastrophizing, and catastrophizing is related to worse participation outcomes. The results suggest that access to care may affect response to chronic pain after TBI.