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Age and Ageing Advance Access originally published online on July 22, 2004
Age and Ageing 2004 33(5):496-499; doi:10.1093/ageing/afh165
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Age and Aging Vol. 33 No. 5 © British Geriatrics Society 2004; all rights reserved

Research Paper

Effects of dementia on perceived daily pain in home-dwelling elderly people: a population-based study

Pekka Mäntyselkä1,2, Sirpa Hartikainen1,3, Kirsti Louhivuori-Laako1 and Raimo Sulkava1

1 Department of Public Health and General Practice, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
2 Unit of General Practice, Kuopio University Hospital, PO Box 1777, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
3 Municipal Hospitals of Kuopio, Niuvantie 4, PO Box 38, 70101 Kuopio, Finland

Address correspondence to: P. Mäntyselkä. Fax: (+358) 17 162937. Email: pekka.mantyselka{at}uku.fi

Abstract

Background: pain is a significant problem in the elderly, but the impact of dementia on perceived pain has not been studied in population-based study settings.

Objectives: to analyse the prevalence of daily pain and analgesic use among home-dwelling older people with and without dementia.

Design: a cross-sectional population-based survey.

Setting: population of Kuopio city, Finland.

Subjects: 523 home-dwelling subjects aged 75 years and older.

Methods: structured clinical examination and interview.

Results: prevalence rates for any pain, any daily pain, pain every day interfering with routine activities, and daily pain at rest were significantly lower in those subjects with dementia (43%, 23%, 19% and 4%, respectively) compared to those subjects without dementia (69%, 40%, 36% and 13%, respectively). The subjects with dementia were less likely to use analgesics (33%) than the non-demented (47%).

Conclusion: dementia was related to a lower prevalence of reported pain and analgesic use among home-dwelling elderly people.

Keywords: pain, dementia, cognitive impairment, elderly

Received September 9, 2003; Revision received March 25, 2004. accepted in revised form March 25, 2004.


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