The Influence of Demographic and Psychosocial Factors on the Intensity of pain Among Chronic Patients Receiving Home-based Nursing Care

AIM: To determine the influence of the demographic and the psychosocial factors on the intensity of pain manifestation among the chronic ill patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out among 328 chronic patients under home-based nursing care in Southern State of Kerala, India, from July to August 2015. Each patient was interviewed during a scheduled home visit by a trained health professional. The translated version of the assessment tool questionnaire Medical Outcome Study-Short Form Health Survey was used for the data collection. RESULTS: Sixty-four (19.5%) out of 328 patients reported pain as one of the primary symptoms of their disease. The percentage of the patients who were suffering from pain increases with the improvements in both the educational level and the monthly income (P = 0.002 and 0.019, respectively). The social interaction with the relatives and other community members was significantly related to pain manifestation (P = 0.013). A higher degree of social interaction was associated with lower pain intensity (P = 0.019). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that certain demographic and psychosocial factors carry a significant level of influence on the pain manifestation and its intensity among the chronic patients. Hence, improvements in education, economic status, and psychosocial support should be considered for the management of the chronic patients.