Assessment of Quality of Life Among Patients Experiencing Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study at King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Chronic pain (CP) markedly impairs quality of life (QoL) and contributes to physical, psychological, and social dysfunction. In Saudi Arabia, limited research exists on CP and its impact on QoL. This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study conducted at King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, over 3 months aimed to comparatively assess CP severity and the QoL between individuals who attended specialized pain clinics and those who did not. Data were collected from 250 participants by using a five-part questionnaire, including the RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0, to assess QoL. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and comparative analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v22.0, with p-values of <0.05 considered significant. Most of the participants were female (56%), aged > 18 years (94.4%), Saudi nationals (88%), and married (72%). The most frequently reported pain site was the knee (33.6%). The mean scores for QoL domains were low, especially physical functioning (18.5), emotional well-being (38.4), and social functioning (38.8). Pain severity and poor general health were significantly associated with nationality, educational level, and clinic type. In conclusion, CP profoundly diminished QoL, particularly in terms of physical, emotional, and social aspects. Outcomes were influenced by factors such as educational level, employment, nationality, and clinical care settings.