Assessing clinical outcomes: patient satisfaction with pain management

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Patient Outcomes
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Unresolved pain in hospitalized patients incurs significant costs and diminishes patient well-being.
• Patient satisfaction and comfort are key indicators of healthcare quality.
• The American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire (APS-POQ) was revised to better assess patient experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the pain experience of hospitalized patients.
• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the revised APS-POQ, including newly added items.
• To explore the relationship between pain intensity, pain management satisfaction, and patient-reported outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 157 adult patients in a large, urban teaching hospital.
• Patients reported on current pain intensity, worst pain, pain in the last 24 hours, and pain-related interference with activities.
• The revised APS-POQ was administered, and data were analyzed to assess reliability, validity, and correlations.

Main Results:

• 157 adult subjects reported moderate to high pain intensity and significant pain-related interference with care activities.
• Patient satisfaction with pain management was inversely correlated with current pain and general pain levels over 24 hours.
• Younger patients were more likely to desire stronger pain medication, reporting higher pain interference with activity and sleep.

Conclusions:

• Despite reporting satisfaction with healthcare provider responses, patient satisfaction is linked to lower pain levels.
• The study provides insights into patient-reported pain experiences and satisfaction, guiding further APS-POQ refinement.
• Further research is needed on age and ethnic differences in pain intensity, satisfaction, and medication desire.