A Study on Chronic Pain, Pain Beliefs, Pain Coping, and Fatigue in the Elderly

Chang, Hae Kyung

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study were to examine the relationship among chronic pain, pain beliefs, pain coping, and fatigue and to define the main factors influencing chronic pain in the elderly. METHOD: Data were collected by self-reported questionnaires from 276 Korean elderly. Data analysis was done with SPSS 10.1 for descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Stepwise multiple regression.
RESULTS
Chronic pain score was 5.45, which was slightly higher than the average. There were significant differences in chronic pain according to age, marital state, economic state, and duration of pain. There was a significant positive correlation between chronic pain and pain beliefs, passive pain coping, physical fatigue and mental fatigue. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between chronic pain and active pain coping. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 44% of the variance in chronic pain was significantly accounted for by passive pain coping(31%), pain beliefs(8%), physical fatigue(4%), and active pain coping(1%).
CONCLUSION
These results suggested that pain beliefs, pain coping, and fatigue can be influencing factors on chronic pain for the elderly. Also, the findings can provide a basis for nursing intervention development to effectively manage chronic pain for the elderly.