Prevalence and Characteristics of Moderate to Severe Pain among Hospitalized Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and management of pain in older hospitalized medical patients.

DESIGN: Medical record aggregate review.

SETTING: Tertiary care hospital.

PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older admitted to the medicine service between November 28, 2014, and May 28, 2015.

MEASUREMENTS: Demographic characteristics, comorbidity burden, pain characteristics, and analgesics during index hospitalization were assessed in individuals with moderate to severe pain (≥4 on 0-10 Numeric Pain Rating Scale).

RESULTS: Of 1,267 patients admitted to the medicine service, 248 (20%) had moderate to severe pain on admission (mean age 75 ± 8, 57% female, 50% white). During hospitalization, most participants received opioids (80%) and acetaminophen (74%), and few received nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (9%). Participants with chronic pain had less reduction in pain intensity score from admission to discharge than those without a history of chronic pain (mean change score 3.7 vs 4.9, p=.002) and were more likely to receive opioids, adjuvant analgesics, and other analgesics (all p<.05).

CONCLUSION: Twenty percent of older adults admitted to a general medicine service had moderate to severe pain. Further research about optimal pain management in hospitalized older adults, particularly those with chronic pain, is necessary to improve care in this population.