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Seniors' decision making about pain management.
1Ontario Ministry of Health Career Scientist, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. mmrna@uottawa.ca
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|August 8, 2001
Summary
Seniors often manage musculoskeletal pain through self-care, using strategies like distraction, exercise, and medication. They generally experience minimal decisional conflict but need more information on risks and benefits.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Pain Management
- Health Decision Making
Background:
- Musculoskeletal pain significantly impacts seniors' daily lives.
- Limited understanding exists regarding seniors' self-care decisions for pain management.
- These decisions influence healthcare delivery and overall well-being in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore seniors' decision-making processes for managing musculoskeletal pain.
- To gather data on the context, types of decisions, decisional conflict, and resources used.
- To understand self-care strategies employed by seniors for pain control.
Main Methods:
- An exploratory-descriptive study utilizing focus groups and questionnaires.
- Data collected from 50 seniors in Canada experiencing notable musculoskeletal pain.
- Convenience sampling employed in 1997.
Main Results:
- Seniors' decisions were influenced by aging and its health/social consequences.
- Pain management strategies included ignoring pain, distraction, exercise, heat/cold therapy, and medication.
- Minimal decisional conflict was reported; family and friends were consulted more than professionals.
Conclusions:
- The study enhances knowledge of health decision-making in later life, particularly pain management.
- Findings highlight seniors' resourcefulness in self-care and decision-making.
- Seniors desire informed choices and require information on the risks and benefits of their decisions.