Association Between Extreme Climate Exposures and Bodily Pain: Evidence from the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Extreme climate events may be associated with increased bodily pain, particularly among aging populations. However, individual-level evidence linking specific climate exposures to pain outcomes remains limited. This study examined the association between extreme climate exposure and pain in different body regions among middle-aged and older Chinese adults.

METHODS

This study used data from the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011-2020), which included 65,693 person-wave observations. Pain outcomes across the 15 body regions were self-reported. Climate exposure indices (extreme temperature, rainfall, drought, and the composite Climate Physical Risk Index [CPRI]) were derived from city-level meteorological data. Generalized additive mixed models were used to assess associations, adjusting for demographics, lifestyle, health status, cognitive function, frailty, and chronic disease.

RESULTS

The composite CPRI was significantly associated with higher likelihood of reporting pain across most body regions (e.g., most severe neck pain, β = 0.0121). Extreme low temperatures and rainfall were significantly associated with pain in the knee, chest, and stomach. Vulnerability was significantly increased among rural residents, older adults (≥ 65 years), women, and those reporting poorer health or greater frailty. These findings remained robust in the sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to extreme climatic conditions is significantly associated with higher likelihood of reporting pain across multiple body regions among middle-aged and older Chinese adults. These associations are primarily immediate, suggesting that timely public health strategies might be beneficial in mitigating potential climate-related discomfort during extreme weather events. Increased vulnerability among older adults, women, rural populations, and frail individuals also highlights the need for targeted intervention strategies to mitigate climate-related health risks.