Chronic pain and geriatric syndromes in community-dwelling patients aged ≥65 years

BACKGROUND: In growing elderly populations, there is a heavy burden of comorbidity and a high rate of geriatric syndromes (GS) including chronic pain. PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of chronic pain among individuals aged ≥65 years in the Southern District of Israel and to evaluate associations between chronic pain and other GS. METHODS: A telephone interview was conducted on a sample of older adults who live in the community. The interview included the Brief Pain Inventory and a questionnaire on common geriatric problems. RESULTS: Of 419 elderly individuals who agreed to be interviewed 232 (55.2%) suffered from chronic pain. Of those who reported chronic pain, 136 participants (68.6%) noted that they had very severe or unbearable pain. There were statistically significant associations between the pain itself and decline in patient’s functional status, increased falls, reduced mood, and cognitive decline. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that chronic pain is very common in older adults and that it is associated with other GS. There is a need to increase awareness of chronic pain in older adults and to emphasize the important role that it plays in their care.