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Rheumatic diseases in the elderly: assessing chronic pain
Susan L Charette1, Bruce A Ferrell
1Division of Geriatrics, University of California, Los Angeles, 10945 Le Conte Avenue, Suite 2339, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. SCharette@mednet.ucla.edu
Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America
|March 21, 2007
Summary
Assessing chronic pain in older adults requires understanding its impact and barriers. This article details effective pain assessment strategies, including tools for the cognitively impaired.
Area of Science:
- Geriatrics
- Pain Medicine
- Clinical Assessment
Background:
- Chronic pain significantly impacts older adults, affecting their quality of life and healthcare utilization.
- Effective pain assessment in the elderly is often hindered by unique challenges and barriers.
- Understanding the epidemiology and impact of pain is crucial for geriatric care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of chronic pain assessment in older patients.
- To identify and address common barriers to accurate pain evaluation in the elderly.
- To describe an effective, multidimensional approach to pain assessment in geriatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological data and clinical impact of chronic pain in older adults.
- Analysis of common barriers encountered during pain assessment in the elderly.
- Description of best practices for history-taking and physical examination for pain.
- Evaluation of functional status and psychosocial well-being in pain assessment.
- Review of multidimensional and unidimensional pain assessment tools.
- Discussion of specific methods for pain assessment in cognitively impaired individuals.
Main Results:
- Chronic pain is prevalent in older adults and poses a significant health concern.
- Barriers such as communication difficulties and underreporting complicate pain assessment.
- A thorough approach integrating history, physical exam, functional, and psychosocial evaluation is recommended.
- Various assessment tools exist, with specific considerations for cognitively impaired patients.
Conclusions:
- Effective chronic pain management in older adults hinges on comprehensive and sensitive assessment.
- Addressing barriers and utilizing appropriate tools are key to improving pain evaluation in geriatrics.
- Specialized approaches are necessary for assessing pain in the cognitively impaired elderly population.
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