The Musculoskeletal Diagnosis Cohort: Examining Pain and Pain Care among Veterans

Joseph L Goulet; Robert D Kerns; Matthew Bair; William Becker; Penny Brennan; Diana J Burgess; Constance Carroll; Steven Dobscha; Mary Driscoll; Brenda T Fenton; Liana Fraenkel; Sally Haskell; Alicia Heapy; Diana Higgins; Rani A Hoff; Ula Hwang; Amy C Justice; John Piette; Patsi Sinnott; Laura Wandner; Julie Womack; Cynthia A Brandt

doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000567

Table 2
Proportion of veterans with select MSD diagnoses and pain intensity NRS scores on the index date, by the year of cohort entry
Year
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
N 1,109,775 516,896 452,199 429,495 399,774 352,668 336,898 315,866 316,601 343,788 346,154 317,649
Non-traumatic joint 15.8% 18.2% 18.5% 18.4% 19.6% 19.9% 20.6% 21.4% 21.9% 22.3% 22.3% 22.5%
Back condition 17.6% 17.0% 16.8% 17.1% 17.6% 17.8% 18.1% 18.2% 18.8% 18.9% 19.0% 18.8%
Osteoarthritis 21.5% 20.4% 19.7% 18.5% 16.0% 13.9% 12.7% 11.2% 10.3% 10.1% 9.5% 9.0%
Fracture 2.0% 2.3% 2.4% 2.3% 2.5% 2.6% 2.6% 2.7% 2.5% 2.3% 2.3% 2.4%
Gout 4.3% 4.8% 4.7% 4.5% 3.9% 3.9% 3.7% 3.4% 3.2% 3.2% 3.3% 3.4%
Neck condition 2.5% 2.4% 2.5% 2.6% 2.9% 2.9% 2.9% 3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 3.1%
Fibromyalgia 1.1% 0.9% 0.8% 0.8% 0.7% 0.8% 0.8% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 0.7%
TMD 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 0.3%
>1 MSD 12.2% 11.9% 12.7% 13.5% 14.2% 15.3% 16.4% 17.5% 18.5% 19.2% 19.8% 20.3%
Pain intensity NRS^*
  Missing 56.7% 32.3% 23.5% 19.9% 18.5% 17.2% 16.6% 16.5% 15.6% 14.9% 14.8% 15.4%
  No pain^* 45.9% 46.3% 46.4% 46.4% 44.0% 43.2% 41.7% 39.2% 37.5% 37.4% 37.1% 35.8%
  Mild^* 10.4% 13.0% 13.7% 13.9% 14.6% 14.7% 15.3% 16.0% 16.4% 16.5% 16.9% 17.2%
  Moderate^* 21.3% 21.0% 20.6% 20.5% 21.1% 21.6% 22.2% 23.1% 23.8% 24.3% 24.4% 24.8%
  Severe^* 22.4% 19.8% 19.3% 19.2% 20.2% 20.5% 20.8% 21.8% 22.3% 21.9% 21.7% 22.3%
  Mean NRS score^* 3.16 2.97 2.93 2.91 3.05 3.10 3.16 3.29 3.37 3.36 3.35 3.43

^*Among those with a pain NRS score on the MSD diagnosis date

	Year
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
N	1,109,775	516,896	452,199	429,495	399,774	352,668	336,898	315,866	316,601	343,788	346,154	317,649
Non-traumatic joint	15.8%	18.2%	18.5%	18.4%	19.6%	19.9%	20.6%	21.4%	21.9%	22.3%	22.3%	22.5%
Back condition	17.6%	17.0%	16.8%	17.1%	17.6%	17.8%	18.1%	18.2%	18.8%	18.9%	19.0%	18.8%
Osteoarthritis	21.5%	20.4%	19.7%	18.5%	16.0%	13.9%	12.7%	11.2%	10.3%	10.1%	9.5%	9.0%
Fracture	2.0%	2.3%	2.4%	2.3%	2.5%	2.6%	2.6%	2.7%	2.5%	2.3%	2.3%	2.4%
Gout	4.3%	4.8%	4.7%	4.5%	3.9%	3.9%	3.7%	3.4%	3.2%	3.2%	3.3%	3.4%
Neck condition	2.5%	2.4%	2.5%	2.6%	2.9%	2.9%	2.9%	3.1%	3.1%	3.1%	3.1%	3.1%
Fibromyalgia	1.1%	0.9%	0.8%	0.8%	0.7%	0.8%	0.8%	0.7%	0.7%	0.7%	0.7%	0.7%
TMD	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.2%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%
>1 MSD	12.2%	11.9%	12.7%	13.5%	14.2%	15.3%	16.4%	17.5%	18.5%	19.2%	19.8%	20.3%
Pain intensity NRS^*
Missing	56.7%	32.3%	23.5%	19.9%	18.5%	17.2%	16.6%	16.5%	15.6%	14.9%	14.8%	15.4%
No pain^*	45.9%	46.3%	46.4%	46.4%	44.0%	43.2%	41.7%	39.2%	37.5%	37.4%	37.1%	35.8%
Mild^*	10.4%	13.0%	13.7%	13.9%	14.6%	14.7%	15.3%	16.0%	16.4%	16.5%	16.9%	17.2%
Moderate^*	21.3%	21.0%	20.6%	20.5%	21.1%	21.6%	22.2%	23.1%	23.8%	24.3%	24.4%	24.8%
Severe^*	22.4%	19.8%	19.3%	19.2%	20.2%	20.5%	20.8%	21.8%	22.3%	21.9%	21.7%	22.3%
Mean NRS score^*	3.16	2.97	2.93	2.91	3.05	3.10	3.16	3.29	3.37	3.36	3.35	3.43