Primary Care & Health Sciences
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John was awarded undergraduate (First Class) and Masters Degrees in Psychology from the University of Dundee. He moved to Manchester to study with Alan Silman for a PhD at the (then) Arthritis Research Campaign’s Epidemiology Unit. John is a Reader in Epidemiology at the Centre and holds Honorary posts at the Manchester University and Aberdeen University. Previously he has held Lecturer and Senior Lecturer posts at the Arthritis Research Campaign’s Epidemiology Unit, University of Manchester.
John leads the population-based research in the North Staffordshire Osteoarthritis Project (NorStOP), a large population-based prospective cohort study that aims to identify predictors of the cause, course and consequences of musculoskeletal pain in older people.
He is currently developing new programmes of work that focus on diffuse pain syndromes in older people. These programmes seek to develop age-appropriate pain assessment tools, describe syndrome epidemiology, identify causal mechanisms, and develop appropriate treatments.
External collaborations include studies of basic pain processing mechanisms in older people, identifying hormonal factors that influence pain reporting, and population studies to identify pain susceptibility genes.
Examples of recently funded grants are:
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National Institute for Health Research “Multisite pain and falls in older people”
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Arthritis Research UK “Epidemiology Unit Centre Grant”
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Medical Research Council “The feasibility of a population based study of CFS, IBS and CWP”
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Arthritis Research Campaign Clinical Trials Collaboration “The MUSICIANS STUDY”
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European Federation if IASP Chapters/Grünenthal “Investigating the role of the pain modulating DREAM pathway genes in chronic musculoskeletal pain”
Selected Publications
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2013. WIDESPREAD AND REGIONAL PAIN PREDICT SOCIAL PARTICIPATION RESTRICTION IN OLDER ADULTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, p. 37). link>
Full Publications List show
Journal Articles
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2010. Population-based study of stress in three functional somatic syndromes. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, vol. 68(6), 616-617. link>
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2007. Development and validation of classification criteria for idiopathic orofacial pain for use in population-based studies. J Orofac Pain, vol. 21(3), 203-215. link>
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2005. Primary care consultation predictors in men and women: a cohort study. Br J Gen Pract, vol. 55(511), 108-113. link>
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2004. HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL STRESS AXIS FUNCTION - THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRONIC WIDESPREAD PAIN AND ITS ANTECEDENTS: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 43, 7. link>
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2004. IS MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN MORE COMMON NOW THAN 40 YEARS AGO? RESULTS FROM TWO POPULATION-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDIES. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 43, 7. link>
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2003. FEATURES OF SOMATISATION ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LOW PAIN THRESHOLD: RESULTS FROM A POPULATION BASED STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 42, 15. link>
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2003. PREDICTING THE ONSET OF LOW BACK PAIN IN NEWLY EMPLOYED WORKERS. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 42, 15. link>
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2002. A POPULATION BASED STUDY OF CHRONIC WIDESPREAD PAIN AND THE HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL(HPA) AXIS: RESULTS FROM A PILOT STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 41, 52. link>
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2002. IS WORK-RELATED MECHANICAL INJURY A RISK FOR THE ONSET OF CHRONIC WIDESPREAD PAIN? A PROSPECTIVE POPULATION BASED STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 41, 52-53. link>
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2002. MECHANICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF NEW ONSET SHOULDER PAIN IN OCCUPATIONAL SETTINGS. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 41, 47. link>
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2002. WIDESPREAD BODY PAIN PREDICTS BOTH CANCER INCIDENCE AND REDUCED SURVIVAL. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 41, 2. link>
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2001. Associations between adverse events in childhood and chronic widespread pain in adulthood: are they explained by differential recall?. J Rheumatol, vol. 28(10), 2305-2309. link>
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2001. Does chronic widespread pain predict future psychological distress? Results from a population based prospective study. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 40, 64. link>
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2001. The role of psychiatric disorders in fibromyalgia. Curr Rheumatol Rep, vol. 3(2), 157-164. link>
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1999. Unraveling the association between chronic widespread pain and psychological distress: An epidemiological approach. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, vol. 47(2), 109-114. link>
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1999. Chronic widespread pain in the community: the influence of psychological symptoms and mental disorder on healthcare seeking behavior. J Rheumatol, vol. 26(2), 413-419. link>
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1998. Features of somatisation predict onset of chronic widespread pain: Results from a large prospective population study. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM, vol. 41(9), S358. link>
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1997. Chronic widespread pain in the community: Consulters and non-consulters. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM, vol. 40(9), 941. link>
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1997. Psychiatric morbidity, adverse childhood experiences and chronic widespread pain. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM, vol. 40(9), 74. link>
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Predictors of new onset widespread pain in older people. Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Other
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2013. WIDESPREAD AND REGIONAL PAIN PREDICT SOCIAL PARTICIPATION RESTRICTION IN OLDER ADULTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, p. 37). link>
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2012. CHRONIC WIDESPREAD PAIN, CO-MORBID DEPRESSION AND FATIGUE IN OLDER PEOPLE. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 51, p. 161). link>
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2012. IDENTIFYING THE KEY TARGETS TO IMPROVE PARTICIPATION IN OLDER ADULTS WITH LOWER LIMB OSTEOARTHRITIS: PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 51, p. 98). link>
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2012. JOINT HYPERMOBILITY PREDICTS DISABLING AND LIMITING MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN: RESULTS FROM THE MUSICIAN SURVEY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 51, p. 164). link>
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2012. THE IMPACT OF PAIN ON SUCCESSFUL AGEING. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 51, p. 31). link>
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2011. Back Pain. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 63, pp. S345-S346). link>
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2011. The Impact of Pain on Successful Ageing. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 63, pp. S600-S601). link>
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2010. CAN RESULTS FROM RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS BE GENERALISED TO ALL PATIENTS SEEKING CARE? RESULTS FROM THE MUSICIAN TRIAL OF MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 49, p. I70). link>
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2009. GENETIC VARIATION IN THE SEROTONIN PATHWAY IS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC WIDESPREAD PAIN: RESULTS FROM THE EPIFUND STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 48, p. I14). link>
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2009. PERSONAL SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ONSET OF CHRONIC WIDESPREAD PAIN. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 48, p. I95). link>
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2009. THE IMPACT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN ON SEXUAL FUNCTIONING IN MIDDLE AGED AND ELDERLY EUROPEAN MEN: RESULT FROM THE EUROPEAN MALE AGEING STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 48, pp. I127-I128). link>
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2008. Low levels of vitamin D in subjects with chronic widespread pain are explained by lifestyle and psychological factors: Results from the European male ageing study (EMAS). ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 58, p. S435). link>
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2008. Road traffic accidents, but not other physically traumatic events, predict the onset of chronic widespread pain - Results from the EPIFUND study. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 58, p. S938). link>
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2008. Functioning of the growth hormone axis and chronic widespread pain: Results from the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II186). link>
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2008. Functioning of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) and growth hormone (GH) axes are associated with the presence of multiple chronic pain syndromes: Results from the cheshire oro-facial pain study. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II8). link>
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2008. The epidemiology of musculoskeletal pain in an elderly population. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II186). link>
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2008. The impact of chronic widespread pain on physical activity levels: Results from the epifund study. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II184). link>
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2008. The prevalence of "unexplained'' chronic widespread pain in the general population: Results from the general practice symptoms study. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II184). link>
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2008. Whether the weather influences pain: Results from a large population-based study (Epifund). RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II188). link>
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2007. Chronic widespread pain predicts the onset of frequently unexplained syndromes - A prospective population study. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 46, p. I119). link>
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2007. Road traffic accidents do not predict the onset of widespread body pain. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 46, pp. I120-I121). link>
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2007. Sleep and pain: Restorative sleep predicts the resolution of chronic widespread pain. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 46, p. I121). link>
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2007. The relationship between socioeconomic status and the onset of chronic widespread pain is explained by psychological status. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 46, p. I121). link>
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2006. Motor vehicle collisions predict the onset of axial skeleton pain but not widespread body pain. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 54, p. S827). link>
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2006. Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal stress axis dysfunction influences the risk of new onset chronic widespread body pain. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 45, pp. I20-I21). link>
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2006. Widespread pain is associated with a long-term increased risk of mortality due to cancer and cardiovascular disease. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 45, p. I3). link>
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2005. High tender point count in psychologically distressed subjects predicts the development of new chronic widespread pain. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 52, pp. S674-S675). link>
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2005. Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) stress axis dysfunction increases the risk of new onset chronic widespread body pain (CWP): A population based prospective study. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 52, pp. S267-S268). link>
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2005. Widespread pain is associated with a long-term increased risk of cancer and death. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 52, p. S77). link>
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2005. Chronic widespread pain and other chronic symptoms that are frequently unexplained: Do they have a common epidemiology?. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I86). link>
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2005. Does reduced pain threshold at baseline in psychologically distressed subjects predict the future development of chronic widespread pain?. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I87). link>
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2005. Predicting the onset of chronic widespread pain: Improving our ability to identify those at high risk. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I87). link>
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2003. Low pain threshold is associated with features of somatisation: Results from a population based study. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 48, p. S605). link>
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2003. Mechanical injury and psychosocial factors in the work-place predict the onset of widespread body pain: a 2-year prospective study study amongst cohorts of newly-employed workers. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 48, p. S237). link>

