Abstract | OBJECTIVES: DESIGN: Cross-sectional mailed surveys 10 years apart. SETTING: Helsinki, Finland. PARTICIPANTS: Random samples of older birth cohorts born in 1904, 1909, and 1914 in 1989 (n = 644) (n=644)-->, and of three separate cohorts born in 1914, 1919, and 1924 in 1999 (n = 3,000). MEASUREMENTS: RESULTS: The response rate of home-dwelling older people was 83% in 1989 and 81% in 1999. Although the use of analgesic drugs as self-treatment increased from 28.5% to 41.4% during the 10 years, in 1999, only 35.5% to 38.2% of those suffering joint or back pain that impaired daily functioning had been prescribed an analgesic drug for regular use. Of those using prescribed medication, 57.5% were on nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs), 20.9% acetaminophen, and 18.5% weak opiates. Only one-fifth of those individuals taking NSAIDs were on a concomitant gastroprotective drug. CONCLUSIONS:
Pain is markedly undertreated in community-dwelling older people, which may have serious implications for their well-being and functioning. Although we noted a tendency for safety in the use of prescribed analgesic drugs, a significant effort must sill be made to implement evidence-based practice. Self-treatment of pain has increased in 1 decade, which may reduce the overall safety of analgesic drug use among older people.
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Authors | Kaisu H Pitkala, Timo E Strandberg, Reijo S Tilvis |
Journal | Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
(J Am Geriatr Soc)
Vol. 50
Issue 11
Pg. 1861-5
(Nov 2002)
ISSN: 0002-8614 [Print] United States |
PMID | 12410908
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- Analgesics
- Gastrointestinal Agents
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Topics |
- Age Factors
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Analgesics
(adverse effects, therapeutic use)
- Arthralgia
(drug therapy, epidemiology)
- Back Pain
(drug therapy, epidemiology)
- Cohort Studies
- Female
- Finland
(epidemiology)
- Gastrointestinal Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Gastrointestinal Diseases
(chemically induced, epidemiology, prevention & control)
- Humans
- Male
- Population Surveillance
- Practice Patterns, Physicians'
(statistics & numerical data)
- Prospective Studies
- Residence Characteristics
(statistics & numerical data)
- Time Factors
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