A recent article published in Clinical Drug Investigation determined that "numerous barriers to effective management resulting in a large proportion of patients not achieving optimal pain control, " and that "chronic pain is inadequately treated because of a combination of cultural, societal, educational, political and religious constraints." Full Story
The New York Times recently featured an article on their Well blog that discussed the positive effects of psychological and emotional therapy for older adults. The following is an excerpt from the article: “For people in their 80s and 90s now, depression was considered almost a moral weakness,” said Dr. Gallagher-Thompson. “Fifty years ago, when they were in their 20s and 30s, people were locked up and someone threw away the key. They had a terrible fear that if they said they were depressed, they were going to end up in an institution. So they learned to look good and cover [...]
An article featured on NPR's SHOTs wellness blog discussed recent study results that indicate that older adults are more susceptible to scams and identity fraud. The author mentioned that " older adults rated the trustworthy faces and the neutral faces exactly the same as the younger adults did, but when it got to the cues of untrustworthiness, they didn't process those cues as well." Full Story
A study published in American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation sought to determine whether “mobility and functional pain were different among older men and women with chronic low-back pain and varying body mass index levels.” The study consisted of 55 older adults age 60-85 years old. Participants completed a series of functional examinations that measured walking endurance, ability to climb stairs, and pain rating with activity. Full Story
In the Journal of Asthma a recent study examined the “impact of depressive symptoms on asthma outcomes and medication adherence among inner-city elderly patients with asthma.” The study consisted of 360 adults over the age of 60. Data was collected using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), and Asthma Related Quality of Life (AQLQ), and from inpatient and outpatient visits. The authors concluded that, “in this cohort of elderly inner-city participants, depressive symptoms were associated with poorer asthma control and quality of life, as well as with lower rates of adherence to controller medications.” Full Story
An article published in the American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy assessed the adverse effects caused by analgesics commonly used by older adults with osteoarthritis. The authors performed a systematic review of the literature using online databases and the search terms, "analgesics," "acetaminophen," "non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" (NSAIDs), "opioids," "pharmacokinetics," "pharmacodynamics," and "adverse drug events." The authors found that "NSAIDs should be limited to short-term use only, and for moderate-to-severe OA-related pain, opioids may be preferable in individuals without substance abuse or dependence issues."
Last month, Clinical Journal of Pain published a study that evaluated the cost effectiveness of self- management techniques for older adults. The study employed a "systematic review of randomized controlled trials with cost-effectiveness data and at least 6 months follow up." The authors identified 10 RCT studies that reported participants' age 60 and older and met all other inclusion criteria. Seven of the 10 RCT studies found self- management methods for chronic pain to be more effective and cost efficient than regular treatment. The authors found that "uncertainty over conclusions regarding cost-effectiveness exists partly due to lack of information regarding societal willingness to [...]
A recent article published in Gerontologist, and co-authored by TRIPLL members and affiliates, sought to evaluate the immediate and delayed consequences of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) management. Over the course of the study, focus group sessions with patients, physicians, and physical therapists. Audiotapes of the sessions were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative methods. The authors' identified "multiple aspects of time perceptions relevant to the management of CNCP: the long-term prognosis, the time horizon used for concrete treatment planning, and concerns about future side effects." The authors also found that "time horizons in treatment planning differed between patients who were present-focused and providers who [...]
A recent article published in Cochrane Database System Review evaluated the effectiveness of topical NSAIDs treatment for chronic musculoskeletal pain among older adults. The authors performed a systematic review of the literature addressing topical NSAID use for chronic musculoskeletal pain and selected studies that evaluated treatment efficacy for more than 8 weeks and had a minimum of 10 participants. 34 studies (a total of 7688 participants) were identified using the specified search criteria. The authors found that topical NSAIDs were capable of providing effective pain relief for knee and hand osteoarthritis, but limited data was available for other chronic conditions.
In the Journal of Pain Symptom Management a recently published study examined pain medication adherence among older adult cancer patients in hospice care. The objective of the study was to determine "if pain-related factors and non-pharmacologic interventions affect medication adherence in older cancer patients in community-based hospices." A total of 65 older adults from 13 community-based hospices participated in the study. The authors determined that "patients were the most adherent to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory/acetaminophen orders and medications for neuropathic pain."
