Chronic pain and analgesic use in hospitalized elderly

Abstract

To evaluate the chronic pain and analgesic use in elderly patients admitted to a teaching hospital. Cross-sectional, observational, non-experimental study with 100 elderly. Instruments for collection of demographic and health data, the Mc Gill evaluation scale and intensity of pain were used. The mean age was 71.1 years (SD + 7.4) and females prevailed in the sample (52%); 78% of the respondents reported severe pain and 68% reported using painkillers. Pain was characterized as sensitive and stabbing (44%), choking (39%), unbearable (40%) and nauseating (49%). The findings of this study indicate a high chronic pain index and point to the need to create multidisciplinary programs of interventions focused on the evaluation and treatment of this symptom among hospitalized elderly.