Assessment of sleep and stress level in individuals with chronic pain

The experience of living with chronic pain allows for the appearance of changes in sleep patterns, mood, and stress levels.

To describe the phases of stress and the quality of sleep in patients with chronic pain.

Cross-sectional study carried out at the pain clinic of the HUPES Complex, Salvador-Bahia. Data collection between March 2016 and November 2017. Instruments: Sociodemographic questionnaire, Numerical Pain Scale (EVN), Mini-Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ), and Stress Symptoms Inventory for LIPP adults (ISSL). Categorical variables were expressed by absolute and relative frequency and quantitative variables by means and standard deviation (SD). The comparison of categorical variables was performed using the chi-square test. Values of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Mean age (standard deviation) of 50.0 (10) years, 89.6% of whom were female. Predominance of people with a partner, with religion, high school, and unemployed or removed by the INSS. They have severe sleep disorders, severe pain, and the presence of stress in the resistance phase. Most subjects reveal that they have improved with the treatment and have moderate self-esteem and personal satisfaction, despite the presence of anxious and depressive symptoms.

Chronic pain has a very significant impact on life, increasing the level of stress, compromising and limiting daily activities, and showing more presence of anxious and depressive symptoms in people who suffer from chronic pain.