Pain Characteristics and Quality of Life in Older People at High Risk of Future Hospitalization

Maria M Johansson, Marco Barbero, Anneli Peolsson, Deborah Falla, Corrado Cescon, Anna Folli and Huan-Ji Dong
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Maria M Johansson: Unit of Clinical Medicine, Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Marco Barbero: Rehabilitation Research Laboratory 2rLab, Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, CH-6928 Manno/Landquart, Switzerland
Anneli Peolsson: Unit of Physiotherapy, Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Deborah Falla: Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Corrado Cescon: Rehabilitation Research Laboratory 2rLab, Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, CH-6928 Manno/Landquart, Switzerland
Anna Folli: Rehabilitation Research Laboratory 2rLab, Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, CH-6928 Manno/Landquart, Switzerland
Huan-Ji Dong: Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: This study deals with how pain characteristics in conjunction with other factors affect quality of life (QoL) in a vulnerable primary care population. We recruited vulnerable older people (75+, n = 825) living in south-eastern Sweden. A postal questionnaire included pain aspects, QoL (EQ-5D-3L, RAND-36 physical functioning, attitudes toward own aging, and life satisfaction), functional status, social networks, and basic demographic information. Pain extent and localization was obtained by digitalization of pain drawings reported on standard body charts. Most respondents were experiencing pain longer than 3 months (88.8%). Pain frequency varied mostly between occasionally (33.8%) and every day (34.8%). A minority reported high pain intensity (13.6%). The lower back and lower legs were the most frequently reported pain locations (>25%). Multiple linear regression model revealed three characteristics of pain (intensity, frequency, and extent) remained inversely associated with the EQ-5D-3L index score (R 2 = 0.57). Individually, each of these pain characteristics showed a negative impact on the other three dimensions of QoL (R 2 = 0.23–0.59). Different features of pain had impact on different dimensions of QoL in this aging population. A global pain assessment is useful to facilitate individual treatment and rehabilitation strategies in primary care.

Keywords: aging; quality of life; vulnerable; pain extent; pain drawing; primary care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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