OBJECTIVES : The self-perceived mental health status of older United States (US) adults with pain has not been well-assessed, but may be important to know given the prevalence of pain and increasing focus on mental (rather than just physical) health. This study aimed to identify the characteristics associated with perceived mental health status among adults ≥50 years of age with self-reported pain in the past four weeks.

METHODS : This study utilized a retrospective, cross-sectional database design and 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Eligible subjects were aged ≥50 years, reported having pain the past four weeks, and alive for the calendar year. National estimates were calculated by adjusting for the complex MEPS design. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to assess significant predictors of perceived mental health status, defined as good or poor.

RESULTS : A total of 5,076 subjects were included in this study for a weighted population of 57,074,842 individuals; 85.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]=84.4%, 86.7%) perceived their mental health as good; 14.5% (95% CI=13.5%, 15.6%) perceived their mental health as poor. Good mental health was associated most strongly with physical health status (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=9.216, 95% CI=7.044, 12.058). Employed individuals were 1.7 times more likely to report good mental health versus unemployed (AOR=1.715, 95% CI=1.199, 2.452). Individuals were less likely to report good mental health if they had completed less than high school education versus more than high school (AOR=0.750, 95% CI=0.569, 0.987) or having a limitation versus no limitation (AOR=0.513, 95% CI=0.384, 0.684).

CONCLUSIONS : This study found that in 2017, approximately eight of the 57 million older US adults (≥50 years) with self-reported pain perceived their mental health as poor. Select characteristics were associated with mental health status, which may inform the characteristics to target first to help improve mental health among older adults with pain.