Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2026
Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
Suffering-associated factors in chronic disease in hospitalised patients in Portugal
Susana Marisa Loureiro Pais Batista1, Rosa Maria Lopes Martins2
1Profesor Adjunto invitado del Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Viseu, Portugal.
Objective:
To analyse the factors related to suffering in chronic patients within the hospital context.
Method:
Descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional quantitative study. Conducted in a hospital in central Portugal, between January and June 2013. A convenience sample of 307 chronic patients was selected. The variables collected through the questionnaire were: age, sex, marital status, employment status, monthly income, perception of family functioning (Smilkinstein), clinical pathology, spirituality (Pinto and Pais-Ribeiro) and degree of suffering (McIntyre and Gameiro). The project was approved by the hospital's ethics committee. The participants signed an informed consent form.
Results:
The global suffering of chronic patients studied at the hospital level is moderate (M=3.01), on a scale of 1 to 5, with the psychological dimension being the most affected (M=3.18). Elderly patients suffer more physically and have more positive experiences. Women present greater socio-relational and psychological suffering. On the other hand, people who live alone, with a monthly income of less than 300 euros, with a low level of education, with the perception of belonging to a dysfunctional family and with neurological pathology, suffer the most. Multiple linear regression showed that spirituality is significantly inversely correlated with suffering. Beliefs are responsible for 6.0% of the explained variance of suffering and hope / optimism for 3.3%.
Conclusions:
People with chronic hospitalized diseases experience multidimensional suffering, with variable intensity and that is correlated with several factors. These variables must be considered for correct planning of health care for this population adapted to their specific needs.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
01:24Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
01:25Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-III: Symptoms and Complications.
Symptoms of COPD can be classified as primary or systemic. Primary symptoms relate to reduced airflow, while systemic or extrapulmonary symptoms relate to COPD's broader impact on the body.
Primary Symptoms of COPD:
01:19Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations
01:22Portal Hypertension