Objective:

To analyse whether anxiety is the variable with the greatest specific weight in the sensation of pain, as well as to establish in a clear way the role that social climate and social interaction variables in the pain process.

Methodology:

The selected sample consisted of 74 elderly people (37 with chronic pain (37 had chronic pain and 37 did not). Demographic, clinical and and psychological tests (STAI questionnaire and MOS scale) were also collected from each subject.

Results:

The greatest differences between subjects who reported having or not having pain were found in the anxiety and trait anxiety variables. There is a high negative correlation between anxiety and social climate. Emotional support and general social climate are the climate variables that correlate most negatively with anxiety. For the group of people in pain, the variable having close relatives is the one that acts concomitantly with anxiety.

Conclusions:

Anxiety is shown to be the most important predictor of the degree to which a subject predictor of the degree to which a subject reports having pain. It is considered that certain instruments for measuring social climate, such as the MOS Scale, are the MOS Scale, are considered to be of great help in predicting the appearance of chronic pain, and that by manipulating its chronic pain, and that by manipulating its constituent variables, health team personnel can have ways to health care teams can have useful ways of helping to positively improve the elderly in the positively help older people to improve their quality of life.

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