Prevalence of pain in nursing home residents with different cognitive and communicative abilities

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of pain and its impact among nursing homes residents with different cognitive and communication abilities.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Three nursing homes in Singapore.

Participants: Residents aged 65 years and above, without a recent change in their cognitive status.

Measurements: Self-reports were obtained whenever possible. Pain severity was measured with the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia scale (categorized version) among the uncommunicative. Residents were also assessed with the short-form version of the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, the state portion of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Human Activities Profile.

Results: Pain prevalence did not differ between the communicative resident with normal cognition (48.7%), mildly impaired cognition (46.5%), or severely impaired cognition (42.9%). However, the latter 2 groups reported more acute pain than those with normal cognition (7.9% to 14.1% vs. 2.5%). Those with impaired cognition reported constant pain more often, reported fewer total sites of pain, and had more frequent and more severe pain. Regardless of cognitive status, 73.3% to 100% of residents had significant scores on depression or anxiety measures when they reported pain-related mood disturbance. Pain-related reduction in activity was associated with a lower Human Activities Profile score. Sixteen of 36 uncommunicative residents had pain on the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia and at least 12 of them had significant mood disturbance.

Conclusions: Cognitive status does not affect pain prevalence; however, it affects the chronicity and characteristics of reported pain. Self-report of pain-related mood involvement is associated with significant mood scores.