Understanding pain among older persons: Part 1-the development of novel pain profiles and their association with disability and quality of life.
While a range of variables are related to the impact of pain, most population studies of older persons have simply examined the presence or intensity of pain.



To develop novel pain profiles based on a range of pain variables, and compare demographic and health variables across profiles.



Baseline data from The Irish LongituDinal study on Ageing (TILDA), a population-representative cohort study involving 8,171 community living people resident in Ireland aged 50 or over, was used. Two-step cluster analysis was performed on those who reported being often troubled by pain using all self-reported pain variables. Nine demographic and health variables were compared across pain profiles and the no-pain profile.



Of the cohort, 65% reported not often being troubled by pain. Of those troubled by pain, four profiles emerged ranging from the profile whose pain did not have impact on daily activities (12% of cohort) to the profile with everyone taking medication to control the pain (9% of cohort). All demographic and health variables differed significantly across the profiles (all P < 0.05) with pain profiles reporting significantly greater disability and poorer quality of life than the no-pain profile (P < 0.05).



Four pain profiles, based on a range of pain variables, as well as a no-pain profile were identifiable in a large sample of older adults. Identifying those (i) with multi-site pain, (ii) who take pain medications and/or (iii) whose pain affects daily activities clearly identifies those with the highest levels of disability and poorest quality of life.
Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Kieran
K
O'Sullivan
Department of Clinical Therapies, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Norelee
N
Kennedy
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Helen
H
Purtill
Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Ailish
A
Hannigan
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
D000700:Analgesics