Work

Best Evidence Summary of Non-Pharmacological Pain Assessment and Management in Elderly Patients During the Perioperative Period

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Background: To evaluate and synthesize the best available evidence on non-pharmacological approaches to pain assessment and management in elderly patients aged ≥60 years during the perioperative period, and to provide an evidence-based reference for clinical practice. Design: This study synthesized the evidence in accordance with the evidence summary report standards of the Evidence-based Nursing Center at Fudan University. Methods: A systematic search was conducted to identify evidence on non-pharmacological pain assessment and management in elderly patients during the perioperative period. Eligible literature included clinical decision-making documents, guidelines, expert consensus statements, recommended practices, evidence summaries, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. Data Sources: PubMed, CINAHL, the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and VIP. UpToDate, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), the Guidelines International Network (GIN), and Yimaitong were searched from database inception to July 2024. Results: A total of 12 articles were included, comprising 3 guidelines, 3 expert consensus statements, 4 meta-analyses, 1 randomized controlled trial, and 1 systematic review. From these, 23 evidence statements were extracted and synthesized into four domains: team building, pain assessment, pain management, and health education. The non-pharmacological interventions mainly included physical approaches, psychological interventions, music intervention, and education for patients and caregivers. Conclusion: The evidence summarized in this study provides a structured reference for non-pharmacological pain assessment and management in elderly perioperative patients. Clinical application should consider the patient's condition, type of surgery, strength of the evidence, and available healthcare resources.

Source: Journal of Pain Research

DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s650984