Dr. Zajacova is part of the team that has published “Educational Disparities in Disability in Mid- to Late-Life: How Much is Attributable to Pain?” on Journal of Aging and Health. Using 2002–2018 National Health Interview Survey data, this study investigates how chronic pain contributes to educational disparities in disability. Site-specific pain explained 18–34% of disability gaps between adults with low and high educational attainment, mainly because pain was more prevalent among less educated individuals. Effects were stronger in midlife than older age, with minimal gender differences. Findings highlight chronic pain as an important but understudied pathway linking education to disability inequality later in life.

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https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643251413824