Assessment of Older Women with Chronic Pain

Abstract

Females suffer from a larger number of chronic pain syndromes, live longer with chronic pain and disability, and more often live alone than males. Thus, they should be prime candidates for pain treatment. Yet a number of factors inhibit geriatric patients from receiving rehabilitation for their pain. Chronic pain has been determined to be a complex perceptual event that is influenced by psychosocial, behavioral, and biomedical factors. A comprehensive strategy for assessing chronic pain patients is described. Special attention is given to the association between pain and depression and the important medication of perceived interference with life, social support, and functional activities as these variables appear to be particularly relevant to a geriatric pain population.