title: The determinants of coping with pain in chronically ill geriatric patients - the role of a sense of coherence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the rising population of the elderly in modern societies, the concern for their good functioning poses a challenge for the 21st century medicine and social services. Senior citizens are at an increased risk of developing chronic conditions, which in turn increase discomfort associated with physiological processes of aging. Sensations of pain have a particular influence on the mentioned discomfort, and pain is prevalent among older people. Therefore, from the perspective of an elderly person and senior care, it is crucial to identify determinants of effective coping with chronic pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the research was to assess the relationship between a sense of coherence (SOC) and pain-coping strategies in chronically ill seniors. A total number of 188 individuals were included in the study, of whom 117 were female subjects and 71 were male subjects, with a mean age of 68.38 (standard deviation [SD] =6.35) years in the studied group. Subjects were sampled based on a diagnosis of a chronic medical illness with chronic pain as one of the major symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Polish adaptation of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-29) to assess an SOC, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) to assess pain-coping strategies, and the visual analog scale (VAS) to assess pain intensity were used in the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean score of respondents' SOC was 133.44 (SD =24.35). Among most common pain-coping strategies used by the respondents were prayer and hope, and the declaration of coping with pain while redefining pain was the least often used coping strategy in the studied group. Individuals with stronger SOC were less prone to catastrophizing and more often declared that they were coping with and could control and reduce pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andruszkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychopathology and Clinical Diagnosis, Institute of Psychology, Kazimierz Wielki University.
authors.forename: Małgorzata Anna
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Basińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing.
authors.forename: Mirosława
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Felsmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Postgraduate Education.
authors.forename: Mariola
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banaszkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing.
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marzec
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Geriatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Kornelia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kędziora-Kornatowska
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011044:Poland; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: chronic pain; older persons; pain-coping strategies; sense of coherence