A cross-national analysis of childhood predictors of physical pain.

Background: The socioeconomic, psychosocial, and behavioural factors that influence physical pain have been largely explored. However, evidence on the childhood circumstances that shape physical pain in adulthood is scarce.

Methods: Using a nationally representative dataset of 202,898 individuals (Age range: 18-99, 49% female, 51% male, 0.03% other) from 22 countries and a random effects meta-analysis, we examine 13 potential childhood predictors of physical pain in adulthood.

Results: We find that childhood experiences, personal attributes, and familial and social circumstances have meaningful and varied associations with adulthood levels of physical pain. Specifically, we find that people whose parents were divorced, single, or died (vs married) when they were children, those who reported that their family found it very difficult to live with their family's household income when they were growing up (vs got by), those who experienced abuse (vs not), felt like an outsider (vs not), reported poor physical health while growing up (vs good) and reported more frequent religious attendance at age 12 (vs never) have a greater risk of experiencing pain later in life. The strength of these associations differs by country reflecting diverse societal influences.

Conclusions: Our study provides valuable insights on the early-life experiences that shape physical pain in adulthood. These findings enhance our understanding of early-life predictors of adult wellbeing and offer comprehensive evidence for designing interventions to reduce physical pain levels.