The Clinical journal of pain
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To better understand the nature of age differences in pain and nociception with the aging of the worlds' population. ⋯ The clinical implications are obvious; older persons are likely to be especially vulnerable to the negative impacts of pain and pain associated events.
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Comparative Study
Pain intensity assessment in older adults: use of experimental pain to compare psychometric properties and usability of selected pain scales with younger adults.
To determine: (1) the psychometric properties and utility of 5 types of commonly used pain rating scales when used with younger and older adults, (2) factors related to failure to successfully use a pain rating scale, (3) pain rating scale preference, and (4) factors impacting scale preference. ⋯ Although all 5 of the pain intensity rating scales were psychometrically sound when used with either age group, failures, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, scale sensitivity, and preference suggest that the VDS is the scale of choice for assessing pain intensity among older adults, including those with mild to moderate cognitive impairment.