Fibromyalgia & musculoskeletal pain
The association of intensity of joint pain and health-related quality of life among adults with arthritis: a large population-based cross-sectional study
Authors' conclusion
Moderate-to-severe joint pain is associated with poorer HRQoL across all domains, with severity-correlated HRQoL decline and subgroup variations.
Study context
- Population
- US adults with arthritis, 2015–2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey
- Participants
- 362,366 adults
- Exposure
- Moderate or severe vs no/mild joint pain
- Outcome
- Loss of health-related quality of life (HRQoL): poor self-rated health, physical/mental unhealthy days, activity limitation
Methodological detailspopulation-based, pooled 2015-2019 BRFSS data, multivariable logistic regression
- Population-based
- Pooled 2015-2019 BRFSS data
- Multivariable logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Loss of HRQoL by domain
Each group vs No/mildOdds ratio (95% CI)
Moderatepoor self-rated health
2.18(2.08–2.27)
Moderatephysical unhealthiness
2.46(2.35–2.58)
Moderatemental unhealthiness
2.05(1.93–2.17)
Moderateactivity limitation
2.33(2.20–2.47)
Severepoor self-rated health
4.61(4.40–4.83)
Severephysical unhealthiness
6.74(6.41–7.09)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Demographic subgroups
- Stronger associations in women, Non-Hispanic Whites, and adults aged 45-64 years
Original publication
The association of intensity of joint pain and health-related quality of life among adults with arthritis: a large population-based cross-sectional study. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 19 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →