Interventions targeting pain or behaviour in dementia: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Pain and challenging behaviors are common in dementia patients.
• These symptoms are often interconnected, with pain potentially exacerbating behavioral issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review evidence on pain interventions impacting behavior in dementia.
• To review evidence on behavioral interventions impacting pain in dementia.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of multiple databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science).
• Inclusion criteria: studies on interventions targeting distress, pain, or behavior in adults with dementia.

Main Results:

• 16 studies met inclusion criteria from 893 initial publications.
• 6 studies focused on pain interventions affecting behavior.
• 1 study focused on behavioral interventions affecting pain.
• 9 studies targeted both pain and behavior.

Conclusions:

• Interventions targeting pain effectively reduce behavioral symptoms in dementia.
• Behavioral interventions effectively reduce pain in dementia patients.
• Combined approaches show promise for managing complex symptoms.