Prevalence of Chronic Pain by Immigration Status and Latino Ethnicity

The goal of this study was to evaluate the Latino paradox and healthy migrant hypotheses by estimating the association between the prevalence of chronic pain, immigration status, and Latino ethnicity.

This cross-sectional study analyzed pooled data from 85,395 adult participants of the 2019–2021 National Health Interview Survey. The dependent variables were any pain and chronic pain in the past 3 months. The independent variables were immigration status (US born, naturalized citizen, non-citizen) and Latino ethnicity.

Chronic pain was prevalent for nearly a quarter of US born non-Latino adults (24%) and non-citizen non-Latino adults had the lowest prevalence at 8%. In multivariable adjusted models, US born non-Latino immigration status and ethnicity was associated with a higher probability of reporting chronic pain in the last 3 months compared to US born Latino adults (-3.0%; 95% CI = -4.4%, -1.6%), naturalized citizen non-Latino adults (-4.7%; 95% CI = -5.9%, -3.4%), naturalized citizen Latino adults (-6.7%; 95% CI = -8.5%, -4.9%), non-citizen non-Latino adults (-3.1%; 95% CI = -4.7%, -1.5%), and non-citizen Latino adults (-8.9%; 95% CI = -10.8%, -7.0%).

US Born non-Latino adults reported the highest prevalence of chronic pain and non-citizen Latino adults reported the lowest prevalence of chronic pain providing support for the Latino paradox and healthy migrant effect hypotheses.