[Characterization of chronic pain and analgesic approaches among community-dwelling elderly].
OBJECTIVE
To characterize chronic pain and analgesic approaches in community- dwelling elderly of the northern district of Londrina - Brazil.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study with individuals 60 years old and more, resident in the local area of a Basic Health Unit (UBS) of Londrina, by home inquiry. Chronic pain was defined as pain lasting for six months or more. The elderly with pain, were questioned about characteristics of the pain as regards location, duration, frequency, intensity, improvement and worsening situations, as well as the impact of pain in the quality of life and also about analgesic approaches.


RESULTS
One hundred and seventy two elderly were interviewed (101 women and 71 men). Presence of chronic pain was observed in 107 (62.%) of these 69.3% were female and 52.1% male (p = 0.004). The very old people, 80-year-old or more (p=0.01) and the depressive elderly (p=0.0008) presented higher frequency of chronic pain. Most prevalent pains were in the legs and back, with 31.2% each, and the majority of elderly referred to continuous, daily high intensity pain. Regarding analgesic approaches, the pharmacologic method was mentioned by 86 elderly (80.4%) and simple analgesic (32.6%) was the most used.


CONCLUSIONS
Facts show that there is a high predominance of chronic pain in the population of elderly, mainly in women, in very old people and in depressive individuals.
Dellaroza
Mara Solange Gomes
MS
Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil. maradellaroza@dil.com.br
Furuya
Rejane Kiyomi
RK
Cabrera
Marcos Aparecido Sarria
MA
Matsuo
Tiemi
T
Trelha
Celita
C
Yamada
Kiyomi N
KN
Pacola
Lílian
L
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001938:Brazil; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004177:Dipyrone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D000700:Analgesics; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000082:Acetaminophen; D004177:Dipyrone; D001241:Aspirin