• Jinjiao Wang, Zijing Cheng, Yeunkyung Kim, Fang Yu, Kathi L Heffner, Maria M Quiñones-Cordero, and Yue Li.
• Elaine Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging (J.W., K.L.H., M.M.Q.), University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, New York, USA. Electronic address: Jinjiao_wang@urmc.rochester.edu.
• J Pain Symptom Manage. 2022 May 1; 63 (5): 654664654-664.

ContextPain is a significant concern among older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).ObjectivesExamine the association between cognitive impairment across the ADRD spectrum and pain assessment and treatment in community-dwelling older Americans.MethodsThis cross-sectional, population-based study included 16,836 community-dwelling participants ≥ 50 years in the 2018 Health and Retirement Study. ADRD, assessed by validated cognitive measures, was categorized into "dementia," "cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND)" and "intact cognition." Pain assessment included pain presence (often being troubled with pain), pain severity (degree of pain most of the time [mild/moderate/severe]), and pain interference (pain making it difficult to do usual activities). Pain treatment included recent use of over-the-counter pain medications and opioids (past 3 months), and regular intake of prescriptions for pain.ResultsDementia were associated with lower likelihood of reporting pain presence (Odds Ratio [OR]= 0.61, P = 0.01), pain interference (OR = 0.46, P < 0.001), reporting lower pain severity (e.g., moderate vs. no: Relative Risk Ratio = 0.38, P < 0.001), and lower likelihood of receiving pain treatment, that is, recent use of over-the-counter pain medications (OR = 0.60, P = 0.02) and opioids (OR = 0.33, P < 0.001), and regular intake of prescriptions for pain (OR = 0.461, P = 0.002). CIND was associated with reporting lower pain severity (e.g., moderate vs. no: Relative Risk Ratio = 0.75, P = 0.021), lower likelihood of reporting pain interference (OR = 0.79, P = 0.045) and recent over-the-counter pain medication use (OR = 0.74, P = 0.026).ConclusionCIND and dementia increased the risk of under-report and under-treatment of pain. Systematic efforts are needed to improve pain recognition and treatment among older adults with cognitive impairment, regardless of dementia diagnosis.Copyright © 2022 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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