Panpanit Ladawan, Carolan-Olah Mary, McCann Terence V
Faculty of Nursing, Khoen Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine (Disciplines of Nursing and Midwifery), Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria, 8001, Australia.
BMC Geriatr. 2015 Dec 14;15:166. doi: 10.1186/s12877-015-0164-3.
Many older adults suffer from chronic pain which decreases their functional capacity and reduces quality of life. Health behaviours and self-care during chronic illness and chronic pain can exert an important influence on health outcomes. The aims of this study were to (a) understand how older adult Thai individuals seek appropriate treatment to self-manage their chronic pain, and (b) to identify factors that contribute to effective pain self-management.
Qualitative interviews were conducted with 32 older adults living in villages in north-east Thailand. Observations were also conducted with consenting individuals. Most interviews were audio-recorded and transcripts were coded and analysed using a grounded theory approach.
Six contextual determinants affected the way participants choose to self-manage their chronic pain, including: priority accorded to pain management; information and resource seeking skills; critical appraisal skills; access to pain-related information; access to treatment; and satisfaction and preferences for practitioners. Participants used several strategies to inform and develop their self-management plans: accessing and responding to information, sourcing resources, trial and error, evaluating treatment and evaluating practitioners.
Attempts to increase accessibility, affordability and acceptability of pain treatment can promote pain self-management in older Thais. These findings have important implications for health professionals and government organisations seeking to enhance the self-management of pain and quality of life in this population.
许多老年人患有慢性疼痛，这降低了他们的功能能力并降低了生活质量。慢性病和慢性疼痛期间的健康行为及自我护理会对健康结果产生重要影响。本研究的目的是：（a）了解泰国老年个体如何寻求适当治疗以自我管理慢性疼痛；（b）确定有助于有效疼痛自我管理的因素。
对居住在泰国东北部村庄的32名老年人进行了定性访谈。还对同意参与的个体进行了观察。大多数访谈进行了录音，并使用扎根理论方法对转录本进行编码和分析。
六个背景因素影响参与者选择自我管理慢性疼痛的方式，包括：对疼痛管理的重视程度；信息和资源寻求技能；批判性评估技能；获取疼痛相关信息的机会；获得治疗的机会；以及对从业者的满意度和偏好。参与者使用了多种策略来为自我管理计划提供信息并制定计划：获取并回应信息、获取资源、反复试验、评估治疗以及评估从业者。
提高疼痛治疗的可及性、可负担性和可接受性的尝试可以促进泰国老年人的疼痛自我管理。这些发现对寻求改善该人群疼痛自我管理和生活质量的卫生专业人员和政府组织具有重要意义。
