Abstract

• PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the pain characteristics, family support and physical functioning and to determine predictors of the quality of life in aged women with chronic pain. METHOD: The questionnaires were collected through direct interview by a trained research assistant from July 2 to August 24, 2001. Subjects were 108 women clients with chronic pain over 65 years of age. Data analyzed frequency, percentage, mean, Pearson's correlation, ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression by SAS. RESULT: Care providers were mostly spouses and daughters in law. Care providers who took care of elderly for a few hours a day had the highest percentile. Aged women had persistently had chronic pain of moderate intensity and was moderately satisfied with pain management. The mean score of disability due to pain was 3 on a 10 point scale. The mean scores of physical function and quality of life were moderate and there were negative correlations between pain characteristics, physical functioning, and quality of life at the range from r=-.46 to r=-.83. Satisfaction with care, duration of pain, disability due to pain, and physical functioning accounted for 56% of the variance in perceived quality of life for aged women with chronic pain. Disability due to pain was the most predictable variable of quality of life and physical function was the second . CONCLUSION: The results suggest that care by family, education in pain control, prevention of disability, and maintenance of physical function are important to improve and maintain quality of life in aged women with chronic pain. Therefore, there is a need for program development that enhance family support and nursing intervention that focuses on active pain control.
• Keywords: Chronic pain; Aged; Women; Quality of life

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