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Utilization of Methods for Pain Treatment and Management Among Older Adults with Chronic Pain

Ringsten, Martin LU orcid and Jakobsson, Ulf LU orcid (2023) In Pain Management Nursing 24(6). p.575-580
Abstract
Background
Older adults have a high prevalence of chronic pain, which can have a substantial effect on their health and quality of life. Patients’ use of effective pain relief methods is a central part of the treatment and management of chronic pain. The utilization of pain relief methods and their perceived effectiveness are important knowledge for treating and managing chronic pain for clinicians and older adults. However, this has been poorly investigated.
Aim
We aimed to survey the methods used by older people to treat and manage chronic pain as well as their perceived effectiveness.
Methods
A total of 2,000 questionnaires were sent to a random sample of people aged 65 years of age or older living in Sweden and... (More)
Background
Older adults have a high prevalence of chronic pain, which can have a substantial effect on their health and quality of life. Patients’ use of effective pain relief methods is a central part of the treatment and management of chronic pain. The utilization of pain relief methods and their perceived effectiveness are important knowledge for treating and managing chronic pain for clinicians and older adults. However, this has been poorly investigated.
Aim
We aimed to survey the methods used by older people to treat and manage chronic pain as well as their perceived effectiveness.
Methods
A total of 2,000 questionnaires were sent to a random sample of people aged 65 years of age or older living in Sweden and 1,141 questionnaires were returned in usable condition. A total of 433 participants reported having chronic pain and completed the Pain Management Inventory to map the use and perceived effectiveness of used treatment and management methods.
Results
The prevalence of chronic pain was 38% and the most used pain treatment methods were passive approaches, i.e., rest (60%), distractions (53%), non-prescribed medicine (49%), and prescribed medicine (44%). A total of 72% of respondents used either prescribed or non-prescribed medicine. The most used active treatment was physical activity (52%). The perceived effectiveness varied to a large extent for each method, and, on average, no treatment method seemed to be more effective than any other.
Conclusions
Knowledge about the actual use of pain treatment methods and the varied perceived effectiveness can guide clinicians in recommending new approaches or alternatives to manage chronic pain in older adults. How used methods are aligned with current clinical recommendations could be further explored in the future. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Pain Management Nursing
volume
24
issue
6
pages
575 - 580
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:37679226
  • scopus:85171421066
ISSN
1524-9042
DOI
10.1016/j.pmn.2023.08.006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
21ca6592-f8a2-4dd4-a020-944e0ba0512a
date added to LUP
2023-10-05 10:55:15
date last changed
2024-01-09 15:45:57
@article{21ca6592-f8a2-4dd4-a020-944e0ba0512a,
  abstract     = {{Background<br/>Older adults have a high prevalence of chronic pain, which can have a substantial effect on their health and quality of life. Patients’ use of effective pain relief methods is a central part of the treatment and management of chronic pain. The utilization of pain relief methods and their perceived effectiveness are important knowledge for treating and managing chronic pain for clinicians and older adults. However, this has been poorly investigated.<br/>Aim<br/>We aimed to survey the methods used by older people to treat and manage chronic pain as well as their perceived effectiveness.<br/>Methods<br/>A total of 2,000 questionnaires were sent to a random sample of people aged 65 years of age or older living in Sweden and 1,141 questionnaires were returned in usable condition. A total of 433 participants reported having chronic pain and completed the Pain Management Inventory to map the use and perceived effectiveness of used treatment and management methods.<br/>Results<br/>The prevalence of chronic pain was 38% and the most used pain treatment methods were passive approaches, i.e., rest (60%), distractions (53%), non-prescribed medicine (49%), and prescribed medicine (44%). A total of 72% of respondents used either prescribed or non-prescribed medicine. The most used active treatment was physical activity (52%). The perceived effectiveness varied to a large extent for each method, and, on average, no treatment method seemed to be more effective than any other.<br/>Conclusions<br/>Knowledge about the actual use of pain treatment methods and the varied perceived effectiveness can guide clinicians in recommending new approaches or alternatives to manage chronic pain in older adults. How used methods are aligned with current clinical recommendations could be further explored in the future.}},
  author       = {{Ringsten, Martin and Jakobsson, Ulf}},
  issn         = {{1524-9042}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{575--580}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Pain Management Nursing}},
  title        = {{Utilization of Methods for Pain Treatment and Management Among Older Adults with Chronic Pain}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2023.08.006}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.pmn.2023.08.006}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}