Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
BMC Psychiatry. 2013 Jan 17;13:30. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-13-30.
Identifying indicators of poor mental health during adolescence is a significant public health issue. Previous studies which suggested an association between the number of somatic pains and depression have mainly focused on adults or have employed samples with a narrow age range. To date, results from previous studies have been inconsistent regarding the association between somatic pain and academic impairment. Therefore, the main aims of the present study were to 1) investigate the association between the number of somatic pain sites and poor mental health using a community sample of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years and employing a simple method of assessment, and 2) examine the association between the number of somatic pain sites and perceived academic impairment.
Data analysis was conducted using a large cross-sectional survey of adolescents in grades 7 to 12. The one-month prevalence rates for three sites of somatic pain including head, neck and shoulders, and abdomen were examined. Poor mental health was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire, and perceived academic impairment was measured using a self-report questionnaire.
A total of 18,104 adolescents participated in the survey. A greater number of pain sites was associated with poor mental health, and this association was consistent across age and gender. There was no difference in effect on mental health between any of the pain sites. Although there was an association between the number of somatic pain sites and perceived academic impairment, the results suggested that the association was mediated by poor mental health.
Simple reporting methods for assessing the number of pain sites may be a feasible indicator of poor mental health in adolescents. Professionals working with adolescents should consider the possibility of poor mental health, especially when students report multiple somatic pains.
在青少年时期识别心理健康不良的指标是一个重要的公共卫生问题。先前的研究表明，躯体疼痛的数量与抑郁之间存在关联，但这些研究主要集中在成年人或采用年龄范围较窄的样本。迄今为止，关于躯体疼痛与学业障碍之间的关联，先前的研究结果一直不一致。因此，本研究的主要目的是：1）使用 12 至 18 岁的青少年社区样本，采用简单的评估方法，调查躯体疼痛部位数量与不良心理健康之间的关联；2）检验躯体疼痛部位数量与感知学业障碍之间的关联。
使用对 7 至 12 年级青少年进行的大型横断面调查进行数据分析。检查了包括头部、颈部和肩部以及腹部在内的三个躯体疼痛部位的一个月患病率。使用一般健康问卷评估不良心理健康，使用自我报告问卷评估感知学业障碍。
共有 18104 名青少年参加了调查。更多的疼痛部位与不良心理健康有关，这种关联在年龄和性别上是一致的。任何疼痛部位对心理健康的影响都没有差异。尽管躯体疼痛部位的数量与感知学业障碍之间存在关联，但结果表明这种关联是由不良心理健康介导的。
评估疼痛部位数量的简单报告方法可能是青少年不良心理健康的可行指标。与青少年一起工作的专业人员应考虑到学生报告多处躯体疼痛时存在不良心理健康的可能性。
