Pain and dementia: an overview of the literature

Int J Older People Nurs. 2012 Sep;7(3):219-26. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-3743.2012.00331.x.

Abstract

This paper discusses how pain and its undertreatment impacts upon older people with dementia. It outlines how the contributing factors to the underassessment of pain are numerous and includes dementia-related factors (such as loss of communication ability) and health professional-related factors (such as inappropriate or non-application of a pain-assessment tool and deficit knowledge regarding pain mechanisms and/or dementia). Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for pain are noted as important but are not the focus of this paper.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Dementia / epidemiology*
  • Dementia / nursing
  • Humans
  • Pain / epidemiology*
  • Pain / nursing
  • Prevalence
  • Residence Characteristics / statistics & numerical data*
  • Residential Facilities / statistics & numerical data*