IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0138024.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Brian Walitt
  • Richard L Nahin
  • Robert S Katz
  • Martin J Bergman
  • Frederick Wolfe

Abstract

Background: Most knowledge of fibromyalgia comes from the clinical setting, where healthcare-seeking behavior and selection issues influence study results. The characteristics of fibromyalgia in the general population have not been studied in detail. Methods: We developed and tested surrogate study specific criteria for fibromyalgia in rheumatology practices using variables from the US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the modification (for surveys) of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) preliminary fibromyalgia criteria. The surrogate criteria were applied to the 2012 NHIS and identified persons who satisfied criteria from symptom data. The NHIS weighted sample of 8446 persons represents 225.7 million US adults. Results: Fibromyalgia was identified in 1.75% (95% CI 1.42, 2.07), or 3.94 million persons. However, 73% of identified cases self-reported a physician’s diagnosis other than fibromyalgia. Identified cases had high levels of self-reported pain, non-pain symptoms, comorbidity, psychological distress, medical costs, Social Security and work disability. Caseness was associated with gender, education, ethnicity, citizenship and unhealthy behaviors. Demographics, behaviors, and comorbidity were predictive of case status. Examination of the surrogate polysymptomatic distress scale (PSD) of the 2010 ACR criteria found fibromyalgia symptoms extending through the full length of the scale. Conclusions: Persons identified with criteria-based fibromyalgia have severe symptoms, but most (73%) have not received a clinical diagnosis of fibromyalgia. The association of fibromyalgia-like symptoms over the full length of the PSD scale with physiological as well as mental stressors suggests PSD may be a universal response variable rather than one restricted to fibromyalgia.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Walitt & Richard L Nahin & Robert S Katz & Martin J Bergman & Frederick Wolfe, 2015. "The Prevalence and Characteristics of Fibromyalgia in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0138024
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138024
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0138024
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0138024&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0138024?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Patrick Royston, 2004. "Multiple imputation of missing values," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 4(3), pages 227-241, September.
    2. Dumit, Joseph, 2006. "Illnesses you have to fight to get: Facts as forces in uncertain, emergent illnesses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(3), pages 577-590, February.
    3. Barker, Kristin K., 2011. "Listening to Lyrica: contested illnesses and pharmaceutical determinism," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(6), pages 833-842, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Juan Luis Leon-Llamas & Santos Villafaina & Alvaro Murillo-Garcia & Daniel Collado-Mateo & Francisco Javier Domínguez-Muñoz & Jesús Sánchez-Gómez & Narcis Gusi, 2019. "Strength Assessment Under Dual Task Conditions in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Test–Retest Reliability Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Almudena Alameda Cuesta & à lvaro Pazos Garciandía & Cristina Oter Quintana & Marta Elena Losa Iglesias, 2021. "Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Illness Experiences," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 30(1), pages 32-41, January.
    3. Angelina Van Dyne & Jason Moy & Kalila Wash & Linda Thompson & Taylor Skow & Scott C. Roesch & Terry Cronan, 2022. "Health, Psychological and Demographic Predictors of Depression in People with Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Jordi Miró & Meritxell Lleixà-Daga & Rocío de la Vega & Pere Llorens-Vernet & Mark P. Jensen, 2022. "A Mobile Application to Help Self-Manage Pain Severity, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-8, September.
    5. Ruth Izquierdo-Alventosa & Marta Inglés & Sara Cortés-Amador & Lucia Gimeno-Mallench & Javier Chirivella-Garrido & Juri Kropotov & Pilar Serra-Añó, 2020. "Low-Intensity Physical Exercise Improves Pain Catastrophizing and Other Psychological and Physical Aspects in Women with Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-15, May.
    6. Juan Pedro Martín-Martínez & Daniel Collado-Mateo & Francisco Javier Domínguez-Muñoz & Santos Villafaina & Narcís Gusi & Jorge Pérez-Gómez, 2019. "Reliability of the 30 s Chair Stand Test in Women with Fibromyalgia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-10, July.
    7. Pryma, Jane, 2017. "“Even my sister says I'm acting like a crazy to get a check”: Race, gender, and moral boundary-work in women's claims of disabling chronic pain," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 66-73.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Claire Edwards & Etaoine Howlett & Madeleine Akrich & Vololona Rabeharisoa, 2012. "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in France and Ireland: parents' groups' scientific and political framing of an unsettled condition," CSI Working Papers Series 024, Centre de Sociologie de l'Innovation (CSI), Mines ParisTech.
    2. Groenevelt, I.P.(Irene) & de Boer, M.L.(Marjolein), 2023. "Contesting misrecognition online: Experiences of epistemic in/justice by vloggers with contested illnesses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    3. Harald Schoen, 2008. "Identity, Instrumental Self-Interest and Institutional Evaluations," European Union Politics, , vol. 9(1), pages 5-29, March.
    4. Julia S. Goldberg, 2011. "Identity Salience and Involvement among Resident and Nonresident Fathers," Working Papers 1323, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    5. Hilde Coffe & Catherine Bolzendahl, 2011. "Gender Gaps in Political Participation Across Sub-Saharan African Nations," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 102(2), pages 245-264, June.
    6. Ronald Mincy & Jennifer Hill & Marilyn Sinkewicz, 2009. "Marriage: Cause or mere indicator of future earnings growth?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 417-439.
    7. John Bound & Michael F. Lovenheim & Sarah Turner, 2010. "Why Have College Completion Rates Declined? An Analysis of Changing Student Preparation and Collegiate Resources," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(3), pages 129-157, July.
    8. von Hinke Kessler Scholder S, 2009. "Genetic Markers as Instrumental Variables: An Application to Child Fat Mass and Academic Achievement," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 09/25, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    9. Locock, Louise & Nettleton, Sarah & Kirkpatrick, Susan & Ryan, Sara & Ziebland, Sue, 2016. "‘I knew before I was told’: Breaches, cues and clues in the diagnostic assemblage," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 85-92.
    10. Natalia Krüger & Axel McCallum & Víctor Volman, 2020. "Segregación escolar por nivel socioeconómico: disparidades entre las provincias argentinas," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4362, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    11. repec:plo:pone00:0100164 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Ethan T. Hunt & Bridget Armstrong & Brie M. Turner-McGrievy & Michael W. Beets & Robert G. Weaver, 2021. "Differences by School Location in Summer and School Monthly Weight Change: Findings from a Nationally Representative Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-12, November.
    13. repec:pri:crcwel:wp12-10-ff is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Shoham, David A. & Vupputuri, Suma & Kaufman, Jay S. & Kshirsagar, Abhijit V. & Diez Roux, Ana V. & Coresh, Josef & Heiss, Gerardo, 2008. "Kidney disease and the cumulative burden of life course socioeconomic conditions: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(8), pages 1311-1320, October.
    15. Elizabeth Washbrook & Paul Gregg & Carol Propper, 2014. "A decomposition analysis of the relationship between parental income and multiple child outcomes," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 177(4), pages 757-782, October.
    16. Jovanovic, Maja, 2014. "Creating the ‘dis-ease’ of high cholesterol: A sociology of diagnosis reception analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 120-128.
    17. Jennifer March Augustine, 2016. "Exploring New Life Course Patterns of Mother’s Continuing Secondary and College Education," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(6), pages 727-755, December.
    18. Robin S. H�gn�s & Marcia J. Carlson, 2009. "Intergenerational Relationships and Union Stability in Fragile Families," Working Papers 1174, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    19. Zsuzsa Blasko & Artur Pokropek & Joanna Sikora, 2018. "Science career plans of adolescents: patterns, trends and gender divides," JRC Research Reports JRC109135, Joint Research Centre.
    20. Sonia Bhalotra & Samantha Rawlings, 2013. "Gradients of the Intergenerational Transmission of Health in Developing Countries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 95(2), pages 660-672, May.
    21. Martine Audibert & Yong He & Jacky Mathonnat, 2013. "Two-Period Comparison of Healthcare Demand with Income Growth and Population Aging in Rural China: Implications for Adjustment of the Healthcare Supply and Development," Working Papers halshs-00846088, HAL.
    22. Trundle, Catherine, 2011. "Biopolitical endpoints: Diagnosing a deserving British nuclear test veteran," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(6), pages 882-888, September.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0138024. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.