Chronic pain in a sample of nursing home residents: prevalence, characteristics, influence on quality of life (QoL).
Arch Gerontol Geriatr
; 47(1): 121-8, 2008.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18006088
ABSTRACT
Chronic pain is common in the elderly, but it is often under-estimated and under-treated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain in nursing home residents and to analyze its influence on patient's QoL and functional status. We studied 105 patients (mean age 82.2+/-9 years), living in two nursing homes in Torino, Italy. The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MGPQ), the Visual Analogical Scale (VAS) and the Face Pain Scale (FPS) were used to test pain. Depression, functional and cognitive status were also evaluated by using specific instruments, such as the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments were documented. It was found that chronic pain was present in 82.9% of the sample; it lasted over 24 months and it was persistent in half of them (49.4%). We observed that chronic pain in the elderly has a strong affective component and its intensity influences older patients' mood, nutrition, sleep and QoL. Our study showed that chronic pain was under-treated. We conclude that chronic pain in institutionalized elderly is common and worsens patients' QoL. It is important to assess and manage pain as a relevant problem in particular for the population at increased risk for under-recognition and under-treatment.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Dor
/
Qualidade de Vida
/
Casas de Saúde
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Arch Gerontol Geriatr
Ano de publicação:
2008
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Itália