Chronic musculoskeletal pain and cigarette smoking among a representative sample of Canadian adolescents and adults

The present investigation sought to examine the relation between specific types of chronic musculoskeletal pain and cigarette smoking among a large representative sample of adolescents and adults residing in Canada. Specifically, we examined the relations between chronic back pain, arthritis, and daily smoking status. As predicted, individuals with chronic back pain were more likely to smoke than those without chronic back pain or arthritis; this association remained significant after controlling for sociodemographics and any lifetime anxiety or mood disorder. An opposite, albeit less robust, association was evident for the prescence of lifetime arthritis and smoking. Future work is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the association between chronic pain and smoking.