Health / U.S. SOURCE RECORD
Chronic pain
Adults reporting pain on most days or every day during the past three months. Self-reported prevalence, not a count of new diagnoses.
Most recent reported period
20.7% of adults
2025 / final
Published history
2019 to 2025. The vertical scale follows the observed range. Lines connect published observations; the table gives exact periods and values. Missing values are unavailable, not zero.
| Period | Value | Status / notes | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Jan 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025 | 20.7%95% interval: 20.1 to 21.4 | finalRespondents were asked how often they had pain in the past three months. Respondents who reported having pain on most days or every day were classified as regularly experiencing chronic pain.More information on the National Health Interview Survey adult data, methods, and definitions is available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/SHS_Tech_Notes_8.11.26.pdf.In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 and later have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years. While annual estimates are available for this topic for 2018 and earlier, they are not presented here. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see Redesign Notes, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about/2019-questionnaire-redesign.html.National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Summary Health Statistics for Adults. | Source ↗ |
| 2024Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024 | Unavailable | UnavailableIf a four asterisk flag (****) is shown in the table, the topic is not available for the time period as it is not collected every year.More information on the National Health Interview Survey adult data, methods, and definitions is available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/SHS_Tech_Notes_8.11.26.pdf.In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 and later have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years. While annual estimates are available for this topic for 2018 and earlier, they are not presented here. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see Redesign Notes, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about/2019-questionnaire-redesign.html.Respondents were asked how often they had pain in the past three months. Respondents who reported having pain on most days or every day were classified as regularly experiencing chronic pain.National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Summary Health Statistics for Adults.Source flag: **** | Source ↗ |
| 2023Jan 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2023 | 24.3%95% interval: 23.7 to 24.9 | finalMore information on the National Health Interview Survey adult data, methods, and definitions is available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/SHS_Tech_Notes_8.11.26.pdf.In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 and later have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years. While annual estimates are available for this topic for 2018 and earlier, they are not presented here. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see Redesign Notes, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about/2019-questionnaire-redesign.html.Respondents were asked how often they had pain in the past three months. Respondents who reported having pain on most days or every day were classified as regularly experiencing chronic pain.National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Summary Health Statistics for Adults. | Source ↗ |
| 2022Jan 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2022 | Unavailable | UnavailableIf a four asterisk flag (****) is shown in the table, the topic is not available for the time period as it is not collected every year.More information on the National Health Interview Survey adult data, methods, and definitions is available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/SHS_Tech_Notes_8.11.26.pdf.In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 and later have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years. While annual estimates are available for this topic for 2018 and earlier, they are not presented here. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see Redesign Notes, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about/2019-questionnaire-redesign.html.Respondents were asked how often they had pain in the past three months. Respondents who reported having pain on most days or every day were classified as regularly experiencing chronic pain.National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Summary Health Statistics for Adults.Source flag: **** | Source ↗ |
| 2021Jan 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2021 | 20.9%95% interval: 20.3 to 21.5 | finalMore information on the National Health Interview Survey adult data, methods, and definitions is available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/SHS_Tech_Notes_8.11.26.pdf.In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 and later have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years. While annual estimates are available for this topic for 2018 and earlier, they are not presented here. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see Redesign Notes, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about/2019-questionnaire-redesign.html.Respondents were asked how often they had pain in the past three months. Respondents who reported having pain on most days or every day were classified as regularly experiencing chronic pain.National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Summary Health Statistics for Adults. | Source ↗ |
| 2020Jan 1, 2020 to Dec 31, 2020 | 21.8%95% interval: 21.1 to 22.4 | finalMore information on the National Health Interview Survey adult data, methods, and definitions is available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/SHS_Tech_Notes_8.11.26.pdf.In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 and later have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years. While annual estimates are available for this topic for 2018 and earlier, they are not presented here. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see Redesign Notes, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about/2019-questionnaire-redesign.html.Respondents were asked how often they had pain in the past three months. Respondents who reported having pain on most days or every day were classified as regularly experiencing chronic pain.National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Summary Health Statistics for Adults. | Source ↗ |
| 2019Jan 1, 2019 to Dec 31, 2019 | 20.5%95% interval: 20 to 21.1 | finalMore information on the National Health Interview Survey adult data, methods, and definitions is available from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/SHS_Tech_Notes_8.11.26.pdf.In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 and later have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years. While annual estimates are available for this topic for 2018 and earlier, they are not presented here. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see Redesign Notes, available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about/2019-questionnaire-redesign.html.Respondents were asked how often they had pain in the past three months. Respondents who reported having pain on most days or every day were classified as regularly experiencing chronic pain.National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, Summary Health Statistics for Adults. | Source ↗ |
Definition and interpretation
Adults reporting pain on most days or every day during the past three months. Self-reported prevalence, not a count of new diagnoses.
Population / coverage
U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized adults age 18 and older
Adjustment / measurement
Crude percentage; not age adjusted
Publisher
CDC / National Center for Health Statistics
Last successful source check
Oct 12, 2026 UTC
Limits of this measure
National survey estimate for the civilian noninstitutionalized population. Sampling uncertainty and survey changes matter. A numerical difference alone does not establish statistical significance or policy causation.
Daily source checks do not create new daily observations. Figures may be revised, and timing does not establish administration causation. This record is informational and should not guide financial or medical decisions.
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