Predictors of alcohol use among people experiencing chronic pain

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between demographic, mood, physical and coping factors, and alcohol use in people experiencing chronic pain. It was hypothesised that a combined model would be more effective in explaining the variance in alcohol use than any single block of predictors individually. The study was cross-sectional in nature. Self-report measures of demographic factors, aspects of pain and physical functioning, mood, coping strategies, alcohol use and reasons for drinking were collected from 73 participants with chronic pain. Being male, a greater affective pain experience and not using relaxation predicted alcohol use and alcohol problems. Only the level of affective pain experience predicted reasons for drinking. The results partially supported the hypothesis that a combination of demographic, pain and coping variables could best account for the variance in alcohol use in chronic pain patients. However, mood factors did not predict alcohol use. The implications of these findings are discussed.