Work

Pain Measurement in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project: Presence, Intensity, and Location

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To describe the rationale for the pain presence, location, and intensity measures in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP). METHOD: Responses to the pain presence, location (pain map), and intensity (verbal descriptor scale) items were analyzed by gender and age (62-69, 70-79, and 80-91). Pain intensity was dichotomized (none to mild vs moderate or higher) and compared by demographics, physical function, mood, and self-rated health. All analyses used Wald tests to compare sample means. RESULTS: Participants completed the pain presence (n = 2,430/2,799), location (n = 2,558/2,799), and intensity (n = 2,589/2,799) items. Pain items varied by gender with women reporting more head, arm, hip/buttock, leg, and foot pain compared to men, (p < .05) at each individual site. Women also reported more intense pain compared to men-2.13 versus 1.94, respectively (p < .05). Pain items demonstrated remarkable similarity among age cohorts. Health indicators were significant and in the expected direction (p < .001). An increase in comorbidity, ADL and IADL dependence, worse self-rated health, and more depressive symptoms were each significantly more common among participants who reported moderate or greater pain compared to none to mild pain. DISCUSSION: Pain presence, location, and intensity measures were successfully integrated into NSHAP Wave 2 and exhibit construct and external validity.

Source: The Journals of Gerontology Series B

DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbu101

Authors: J. W. Shega, A. D. Tiedt, K. Grant, W. Dale

Institutions: Bureau of Justice Statistics, University of Chicago

Language: English

Topic: Pain Management and Opioid Use

Subfield: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze