Please note: This website has recently moved from www.health.gov to odphp.health.gov. www.health.gov is now the official website of ODPHP’s parent organization, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). Please update your bookmarks for easy access to all our resources. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce the proportion of adults with chronic pain that frequently limits life or work activities — CP‑01 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC/NCHS

Baseline: 6.9 percent of adults aged 18 years and over had high impact chronic pain in 2019

Target: 6.4 percent

Numerator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over with high impact chronic pain.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over.
Target-setting method
Minimal statistical significance
Target-setting method details
Minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline.
Target-setting method justification
Trend data were not available for this objective. The standard error was used to calculate a target based on minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline. This method was used because moving this baseline was anticipated to be difficult due to external factors.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)
NUMERATOR:
High impact chronic pain is defined as "most days" or "every day" answers to both of the following two questions:
  1. [chronic pain] In the past three months, how often did you have pain?

    2. Would you say:
    Never    Some days    Most days    Every day
  2. [high impact] Over the past three months, how often did pain limit your life or work activities?

    3. Would you say:
    Never    Some days    Most days    Every day
DENOMINATOR:
All adults in the NHIS survey.

Methodology notes

High Impact Chronic Pain is defined as pain on most days or every day in the past three months AND pain limiting life or work activities on most days or every day in the past three months.
Numerator:
High impact chronic pain is defined as "most days" or "every day" answers to both of the following two questions:
  1. [chronic pain] In the past three months, how often did you have pain?
    2. Would you say:
    Never    Some days    Most days    Every day
  2. [high impact] Over the past three months, how often did pain limit your life or work activities?
    3. Would you say:
    Never    Some days    Most days    Every day
Denominator:
All adults in the NHIS survey.

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Sex: 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Race/Ethnicity: 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Educational Attainment (25 years and over): 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Family Income (percent poverty threshold): 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Geographic Location: 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Marital Status: 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Country of Birth: 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Veteran status (20 years and over): 20-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+
  • Sexual orientation: 18-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65-84, 85+

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Retained, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 with no change in measurement.
Revision History
  • Revised. 

    In 2021, due to the 2019 NHIS redesign, the baseline was revised from 7.5% in 2016 to 6.9% in 2019. The target was revised from 7.0% to 6.4% using the original target setting method.
  • Revised. 

    In 2024, the following categories were recalculated with the use of a newer variable: Never married, American Indian or Alaska Native only, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, 2 or more races only, Not Hispanic or Latino American Indian or Alaska Native only, Not Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, Not Hispanic or Latino 2 or more races only. Estimates from data year 2022 or earlier may vary slightly from estimates previously reported. The baseline, baseline year and target were not affected.