Seniors who struggle financially are more likely to suffer from long-term debilitating back pain, a study finds.
Researchers found that those who say they are worried about finances are twice as likely to suffer lasting pain compared to those with higher incomes.
The study, published in the journal BMC, evaluated more than 5,000 people over 65 years of age in England.
Everyone was suffering from back pain when the study began, but it was found that two years later, those with the greatest financial burden were most likely to continue to report severe pain.
Experts suggest that people with less money are less likely to seek medical treatment or exercise regularly, an effective means of combating back pain.
Overall, they found that nearly four out of five participants were still in pain at the end of the study, regardless of their financial situation.
Of those, a third said the pain was “moderately bothersome.” More than one in ten said they experienced back pain, which meant they had difficulty with day-to-day tasks.
The researchers, from the University of Oxford and the University of Exeter, also found that those who had a negative attitude towards exercise in the future were more likely to experience persistent back pain.
Financially burdened seniors more likely to suffer from back pain, study finds (file photo)
An estimated nine million people in the UK live with back pain (file photo)
It has been estimated that nine million people in the UK live with back pain and 30 per cent of older adults experience some form of chronic pain.
“People endure back pain because they think it’s just a symptom of aging, but it shouldn’t be that way,” he says.
Dr. Esther Williamson, a back pain expert at the University of Oxford who was part of the research team.
“We know that people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who suffer from back pain face a greater burden and are less likely to access treatment. They are also less likely to be able to access exercise classes that help manage pain.
“The key to the future is to make treatments accessible to people.”