Interdisciplinary Pain Center, Keio University Hospital, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2024 Aug 19;14(1):19196. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-70452-0.
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased germ aversion, an aversive affective response to a high likelihood of pathogen transmission. While psychological factors are associated with chronic pain, the relationship between germ aversion and chronic pain remains unexplored. This study aimed to examine the relationship between germ aversion and new-onset and prognosis of chronic pain using longitudinal data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted web-based surveys of full-time workers at baseline and after three months. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, psychological factors, and chronic pain. Germ aversion was assessed using a modified Perceived Vulnerability to Disease scale. We analyzed responses from 1265 panelists who completed the survey twice. The prevalence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) and chronic neck and shoulder pain (CNSP) was associated with sex, short sleep duration, psychological distress, loneliness, and germ aversion. Stratified analyses showed that germ aversion was a risk factor for CLBP at three months in both individuals with and without CLBP at baseline, and for CNSP at three months in those with CNSP at baseline, even after adjustment for confounders. In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests that high germ aversion is a risk factor for CLBP and CNSP in young and middle-aged workers.
新型冠状病毒肺炎大流行增加了人们对细菌的厌恶，即对高病原体传播可能性的厌恶性情感反应。虽然心理因素与慢性疼痛有关，但细菌厌恶感与慢性疼痛之间的关系尚未得到探索。本研究旨在使用新型冠状病毒肺炎大流行期间收集的纵向数据，研究细菌厌恶感与新发和慢性疼痛预后之间的关系。我们在基线和三个月后对全职工作人员进行了基于网络的调查。收集了人口统计学特征、心理因素和慢性疼痛的数据。使用改良的疾病易感性感知量表评估细菌厌恶感。我们分析了完成两次调查的 1265 名小组参与者的回复。慢性下腰痛（CLBP）和慢性颈肩痛（CNSP）的患病率与性别、睡眠时间短、心理困扰、孤独和细菌厌恶感有关。分层分析表明，在基线时患有和不患有 CLBP 的个体中，细菌厌恶感在三个月时是 CLBP 的一个危险因素，在基线时患有 CNSP 的个体中，在三个月时也是 CNSP 的一个危险因素，即使在调整了混杂因素后也是如此。总之，这项初步研究表明，高细菌厌恶感是年轻和中年工人 CLBP 和 CNSP 的一个危险因素。
