Objective: The objective of the current study is to explore whether a relationship between the level of educational attainment and degree of disability from pain in PD patients exists.

Background: Past studies have examined the relationship between education level and pain [1]. However, the specific association between education level and pain in PD patients remains an uninvestigated area of research.

Methods: The present study included 40 PD patients with high school level education and 40 PD patients with undergraduate or post-graduate level education. A control group of 80 non-PD participants were matched to the PD patient sample by age, gender, and highest completed education. The Pain Disability Index (PDI) was used to measure overall chronic pain disability using the global PDI score. Chronic pain across several life dimensions was assessed using components of the PDI.

Results: PD patients with lower education had greater disability from chronic pain, in comparison to PD patients with higher education and controls with both lower and higher education. On the other hand, PD patients with higher education showed no significant difference in the level of disability that pain had on their activities of daily living, in comparison to controls with both lower and higher education.

Conclusions: Overall, disability in carrying out activities of daily living due to pain may be intensified in PD patients with lower education, in comparison to PD patients with higher education and controls with lower and higher education.

References: [1] Saastamoinen P, Leino-Arjas P, Laaksonen M, Lahelma E (2005) Socio-economic differences in the prevalence of acute, chronic and disabling chronic pain among ageing employees. Pain 114(3):364-371.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/lower-education-level-is-associated-with-greater-disability-from-pain-in-parkinsons-disease-patients/