• Shweta Kapoor, Jessica White, Beverly E Thorn, and Phoebe Block.
• *Department of Psychology, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; skapoor0302@gmail.com shweta.kapoor@emory.edu bthorn@ua.edu.
• Pain Med. 2016 Jun 1; 17 (6): 1069-78.

ObjectivePain is one of the most common reasons for emergency department (ED) visits. Given the significant association of psychological variables and pain experience, it is critical to examine the relation of such factors with ED pain reports. This study sought to analyze the association of reported pain intensity in ED with pain catastrophizing and state anxiety.MethodsOne hundred participants presenting with a primary complaint of acute pain in an urban ED completed the study. The measures included a demographic survey with questions pertaining to pain intensity, type and duration of present pain, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Subscale (STAI-S).ResultsPain intensity was significantly and positively associated with pain catastrophizing and state anxiety. Follow-up PROCESS mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of pain catastrophizing on the relationship between state anxiety and pain intensity.ConclusionsThe results suggest that it is important to assess the psychological distress due to anxiety and pain catastrophizing of patients presenting to EDs with acute pain. Setting-appropriate brief behavioral interventions in conjunction with pharmacological interventions could improve outcomes.© 2015 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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