Department of Public Health and General Practice, University of Kuopio, Unit of General Practice, Kupio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. pekka.mantyselka@uku.fi
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.
To analyse the prevalence of daily pain and analgesic use among home-dwelling older people with and without dementia.
A cross-sectional population-based survey.
Population of Kuopio city, Finland.
523 home-dwelling subjects aged 75 years and older.
Structured clinical examination and interview.
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%).
Dementia was related to a lower prevalence of reported pain and analgesic use among home-dwelling elderly people.
Notes
Comment In: Age Ageing. 2004 Sep;33(5):432-415315914