Factors associated with the use of mind body therapies among United States adults with musculoskeletal pain

Objective: To determine the prevalence of mind body therapy use and correlates of use among adults with prolonged musculoskeletal pain, a group for whom mind body therapies are recommended. Design: The U.S. 1999 National Health Interview Survey. Prolonged musculoskeletal pain was defined as any soft tissue, joint, or bony pain for at least 1 month. Analyses used SUDAAN and reflect national estimates. Main outcome measures: Use of mind body medicine (relaxation techniques, imagery, biofeedback, and hypnosis) and prayer in the previous year. Results: Respondents (n = 6079) with musculoskeletal pain were almost twice as likely as those without (n = 24,722) to use mind body medicine (9% versus 5%, respectively, p < .0001) and prayer (20% versus 12%, respectively, p < .0001). After adjustment, men were less likely than women to use mind body medicine (odds ratio 0.55 [0.43-0.71]) and prayer (odds ratio 0.56 [0.48-0.66]). Those who had a high school education were less likely than those with training beyond high school to use mind body medicine (odds ratio 0.36 [0.28-0.47]) and prayer (odds ratio 0.61 [0.52-0.71]). Conclusions: Mind body therapies are not used commonly by adults with prolonged musculoskeletal pain. Understanding barriers to their use may facilitate wider application in this population.