Health Predictors of Pain in Elderly—A Serbian Population-Based Study

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate the association of health factors with the presence and different degrees of pain in elderly above 65 years of life. Methods: The population-based study included 3540 individuals above 65 years of age of life from twofold stratified household sample representative for Serbia, during 2013 (the average age 73.9 ± 6.3 years; average Body Mass Index was 26.7 ± 4.4, females 56.8%, living with partner 55.5%, with primary education 55.3%, with poor wealth index 55.8% and from rural settings 46.2%). As health predictors of pain, we analyzed further health parameters: self-perceived general health, long-lasting health problems, diagnosed pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disease, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and other chronic diseases. Pain domain of SF-36 version 2.0 was used for pain assessment. Results: Significant health predictors of pain were: self-perceived general health (OR 2.28), where bad perception of self-perceived general health in our study had greater risk of pain with higher degree of severity; long-lasting health problems (OR 1.60), where elderly with long-lasting health problems had almost twice the risk of moderate degree of pain, and above twice the risk for severe degree of pain; pulmonary disease (OR 1.38); musculoskeletal disease (OR 2.98) and other chronic diseases (OR 1.71). The presence of musculoskeletal disease increases the risk for pain, even more than double in severe versus mild degrees of pain. Conclusion: Bad self-perceived general health, long-lasting health problems, pulmonary, musculoskeletal diseases, cardiovascular disease and other chronic disease were significant health-related predictors of various degrees of pain in elderly.

Behavioral and emotional quality of life of patients undergoing inpatient geriatric rehabilitation.

“…Consequently, no definite causal inferences can be drawn with regard to the variables under study. Nonetheless, the hypothetical research model of this study is based on theoretically well-established QoL models (Lawton, 1983; Veenhoven, 2000) and empirically justified (compare Adams et al, 2016; Ben-Zur, 2016; Bowling et al, 2002; Cohen-Mansfield & Taylor, 1998; Cramer-Ebner et al, 2017; Frieswijk et al, 2007; Helvik et al, 2013; Ingrand et al, 2018; Jonker et al, 2008; Kostadinovic et al, 2019; Leão & Perelman, 2018; Li et al, 2006; Naughton et al, 2016; Song et al, 2018; Steptoe et al, 2015; Trentini et al, 2012; Tse et al, 2012; Wiesmann & Hannich, 2014). Furthermore, the longitudinal design permitted unobserved heterogeneity to be controlled for (compare Giesselmann & Windzio, 2012; Pforr & Schröder, 2015).…”

“…At the same time, objective QoL indicators have been found to be associated with self-perceptions of health: It has been shown that health problems in terms of chronic conditions and functional impairments predict worse self-rated health and more severe pain, and are related to worse health comparisons (Kostadinovic et al, 2019; Leão & Perelman, 2018; Li et al, 2006; Song et al, 2018).…”

“…At the same time, objective QoL indicators have been found to be associated with self-perceptions of health: It has been shown that health problems in terms of chronic conditions and functional impairments predict worse self-rated health and more severe pain, and are related to worse health comparisons (Kostadinovic et al, 2019;Leão & Perelman, 2018;Li et al, 2006;Song et al, 2018). Accordingly, with respect to possible mediating variables between objective and subjective QoL, it was supposed that these subjective perceptions of the health status could play an important role, especially in the medical context of geriatric rehabilitation.…”

“…Consequently, no definite causal inferences can be drawn with regard to the variables under study. Nonetheless, the hypothetical research model of this study is based on theoretically wellestablished QoL models (Lawton, 1983;Veenhoven, 2000) and empirically justified (compare Adams et al, 2016;Ben-Zur, 2016;Bowling et al, 2002;Cohen-Mansfield & Taylor, 1998;Cramer-Ebner et al, 2017;Frieswijk et al, 2007;Helvik et al, 2013;Ingrand et al, 2018;Jonker et al, 2008;Kostadinovic et al, 2019;Leão & Perelman, 2018;Li et al, 2006;Naughton et al, 2016; .001 (.010) ns This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers. This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.…”