Zwakhalen, Sandra M.G., Koopmans, Raymond T.C.M., Geels, Paul J.E.M., Berger, Martijn P.F. and Hamers, Jan P.H. (2008) The prevalence of pain in nursing home residents with dementia measured using an observational pain scale. European Journal of Pain, 13 (1). pp. 89-93. ISSN 1090-3801 (doi:10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.02.009)

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Background: Studies on pain and pain prevalence in older people with dementia are limited compared to those on cognitively intact older people. Pain prevalence rates in older people with dementia are estimated to be between 28% and 83%.

Aims: This study aimed to explore pain prevalence in nursing home residents with dementia using observational scale PACSLAC-D, and to identify the association between pain prevalence and (dementia) demographic parameters such as cognitive status, gender, analgesic use and co-morbidity.

Methods: Using an observational study design, 117 residents were observed and assessed for pain during personal morning care. Prevalence data were calculated and regression analyses applied.

Results: This study showed that almost half of the participants (47%) experienced pain to some extent. However, overall pain intensity scores were relatively mild. Among the independent variables, co-morbidities, analgesic use and the adjusted interaction term ‘co-morbidities + analgesic use’ had the strongest associations with pain and were thus shown to be valid significant predictors.

Conclusion: With its relatively new approach of measuring pain using an observational scale, this study confirms the expectation gleaned from other studies on less impaired older populations: namely, that pain prevalence in older residents with dementia in Dutch nursing homes is high.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	[1] First published online: 16 May 2008. [2] Published in print: January 2009. [3] Published as: European Journal of Pain, (2009), Vol. 13, (1), pp. 89–93. [3] European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters. [4] Since 1 January 2012 the European Journal of Pain has been published by Wiley-Blackwell.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	pain, prevalence, nursing home, elderly, assessment
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > RT Nursing
Pre-2014 Departments:	School of Health & Social Care School of Health & Social Care > Department of Social Work & Health Development
Related URLs:	Publisher Publisher Organisation Organisation
Last Modified:	05 Nov 2019 12:22
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/10416

Actions (login required)

View Item