Avaliação de dor e nocicepção em idosos de uma instituição de curta permanência: Assessment of pain and nociception in the elderly in a short-term institution

Introduction: Pain is an unpleasant feeling and emotional experience associated with tissue damage, real or potential, or described in terms of that injury. However, the perception of pain is considered multidimensional and includes psychosocial, cognitive-cultural, behavioral and sensory factors. Objective: To evaluate the nociception of the elderly and relate to self-reported pain, as well as recognize the pain of the elderly in all its extension. Methods: Quantitative cross-sectional study, with a sample of 36 elderly people who attended the City of the Elderly of Chapeco (SC) between January and March 2020. Questionnaires, pain scales and pressure and thermal sensitivity assessment were performed. Results: The average found in the numerical assessment of the Multidimensional Pain Assessment Scale was 6.86. The Visual Analogue Scale had an average of 5.94, the Visual Numeric Scale, 6.5, and, finally, the Visual Faces Scale had an average of 5.67. As for the evaluation of nociception by pressure, the average on the right side was 2.07kgf and on the left, 2.16kgf. Conclusion: The correlations indicated that pain is influenced by beliefs and previous experiences and interferes with quality of life, being greater in women. Nociception accompanies pain in the elderly population.