Pain Coping Strategies Among Adult Patients with Degenerative Disc Disease

Background/Objectives: This cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate how individuals with lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) cope with pain and its association with their affective state, especially in relation to the symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study also examined whether pain intensity and duration are associated with these affective symptoms and the coping strategies used. Methods: The study included 210 patients with chronic pain due to DDD, one day before scheduled surgery. Patients were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale or Beck Depression Inventory-II with Beck Anxiety Inventory (depending on the research project), the Visual Analog Scale for pain, and the Polish adaptation of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. Results: Among participants assessed with the BDI-II, 42.7% exceeded the threshold for at least mild depressive symptoms, compared with 32.3% assessed with the HADS-D. For anxiety symptoms, 73.5% of participants assessed with the BAI and 53.8% assessed with the HADS-A exceeded the threshold for at least mild symptoms. Depressive symptoms were associated with greater average pain intensity and a longer duration of pain, whereas anxiety was positively correlated with all pain measures. The most frequently reported coping strategies were coping self-statements, praying or hoping, and increasing activity levels. Catastrophizing was associated with affective symptoms and pain intensity, whereas coping self-statements were associated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Patients with DDD commonly experience significant emotional distress. The findings suggest that catastrophizing is strongly associated with poorer affective state and higher pain intensity, whereas coping self-statements are associated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms.