(P02-107-25) Opioid Use for Chronic Pain Does Not Improve Physical Activity in US Adults

Objectives: Chronic pain (CP) remains a public health challenge. Persistence of CP symptoms may lead to reduced movement and physical activity – which may in turn exacerbate pain symptoms. As such, management of CP is an important aspect of reducing barriers to physical activity. The utilization of opioids has been one of the most common methods of CP treatment. However, little is understood about whether use of these medications lead to improvement in participation of physical activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate physical activity among individuals experiencing CP and evaluate the impact of opioid use on engagement of physical activity for CP.

Methods: This study used the 2020 data release from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a service that gathers data annually through personal household interviews. Data regarding physical activity (including information about sedentary behavior, walking for leisure, etc.), chronic pain, and opioid use were assessed using validate survey questions and the data was provided in the NHIS dataset. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate physical activity engagement among individuals experiencing chronic pain. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated using the Rao-Scott method to investigate the impact of opioid use on engagement in physical activity among adults with chronic pain. 

Results: Adults with chronic pain were significantly less likely to engage in physical activity than adults without chronic pain. Adults with CP were significantly less likely to report walking for leisure compared to adults without CP (OR 0.59, 05%CI 0.55-0.60, p< 0.0001). Use of opioids did not improve physical activity; those with CP who used opioids did not improve physical activity (OR 0.8, 05% CI 0.59-1.08). Furthermore, those who used opioids for CP were significantly more likely to report no physical activity than those with CP who did not use opioids (OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.2-2.2, p< 0.0001).

Conclusions: Opioid use does not improve physical activity among adults with CP. Evaluating the association between chronic pain and physical activity factors should be a high-priority task for public health professionals as it may serve as a cost-effective, scalable method to improve a target population and further on to the national and global communities.

Funding Sources: Pioneers in Public Health Scholarship Program