Assessment and measurement of pain in aging: long-term institutions

Author(s)

Andressa Karina Amaral Plá Pelegrin

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2011-12-15

Examining board members

Fatima Aparecida Emm Faleiros Sousa; Priscilla Hortense; Rosalina Aparecida Partezani Rodrigues

• Advisor: Fatima Aparecida Emm Faleiros Sousa

Abstract

Aging is a new phenomenon and a global trend. With it, there is an increase of diseases and complaints of pain. This study has allowed health professionals have a better assessment of pain perception in aging. The overall objective was to evaluate the different types of chronic pain in aging. The specific objectives were to measure the perceived pain, to evaluate the descriptors of chronic pain with higher scores, identify different issues of chronic pain perceived and assess for signs and symptoms of depression. Identification was carried out socio-demographic, with questions related to sex, age, education, religion, marital status, the activities of the institution, the economic situation at the time of institutionalization, to receive visits and disease diagnosed and later, four experiments were conducted (dependent samples). Experiment 1 - Measuring the perceived pain - chronic pain intensity was assessed by the psychophysical method of category estimation and perceived pain during the interview, to identify the location, time and time. Experiment 2 - Assess the descriptors of chronic pain with higher scores - the intensity of pain was evaluated by two independent psychophysical methods: estimation and estimation of categories of posts. Task 3 - Identify the different themes of chronic pain perceived - we used a semi-structured interviews with seven questions related to chronic pain. Experiment 4 - Assess signs and symptoms of depression - used the Geriatric Depression Scale of 15 points. Attended by 46 elderly residents of two long-term institutions in Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, among these, 25 were from philanthropic institutions and 21 private. The results were the mean age of 78.26 ± 8.33 years, 26 females, 23 were widowed, 28 Catholics, 23 attended the elementary school, 46 retirees and 37 to receive a minimum wage, 16 have high blood pressure, 37 reside in the institutions mentioned in the time from 0 to 5 years, 34 said they did not carry out activities in the institutions surveyed and 24 receive family visits. In Experiment 1, 14 elderly people attributed the value 10 for the intensity of perceived pain last week, and the arithmetic mean of 7.02 ± 2.74 points, 28 reported pain at the time of interview and 32 there is no specific time, and regions most affected lower limbs and the dorsal region. In Experiment 2, the method of category estimation, the greatest pain descriptor assignment was \"painful\" and the least was \"disastrous.\" In the method of estimation of posts, the more pain descriptor assignment was \"disastrous\" and the assignment was less \"painful\". In Experiment 3, thematic units were identified as: \"the perception of time,\" \"dimension of pain,\" \"coping strategies\", \"pain-related causes,\" \"perception of the current situation\" and \"other perceptions.\" In Experiment 4, it was observed that 33 seniors responded to the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) -15 points - and obtained a score of 5 or more points may suggest a depressive episode, while 13 had a score below 5 points, not suggesting a depressive episode. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/06972-9 - Assessment and Measurement of Pain in Human Beings of Institutions for Long Stay
• Grantee: Andressa Karina Amaral Plá Pelegrin
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master