Living Well With Chronic Pain in Later Life: The Role and Meaning of Activity and Involvement

Objective: To examine how older people can best be helped to live well with musculoskeletal pain. Methods: A mixed-methods study integrating quantitative analysis of a longitudinal cohort survey with 60 semi-structured interviews. Results: Comparison of “expected” to “reported” interference suggested that social activity, physical activity, and “involvement” were important for participants who reported minimal interference from their pain. Discussion: For many older people with chronic pain, activity and involvement may not simply be outcomes of living with minimal interference from pain, but factors that contribute to this outcome and give meaning to their lives.