Journal of gerontology
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Journal of gerontology · Jul 1990
Comparative StudyA comparison of coping strategies in chronic pain patients in different age groups.
This study examined the effects of age on the frequency of use and perceived effectiveness of coping strategies in patients having chronic pain. Subjects were chronic pain patients in four age groups (young, middle, older, and geriatric). All subjects completed the Coping Strategies Questionnaire, which measures the use and perceived effectiveness of a variety of cognitive and behavioral coping strategies in controlling and decreasing pain. ⋯ Correlational analyses based on data combined from the different age groups suggested that, while certain pain coping strategies appear to be adaptive (e.g., coping self-statements), other coping strategies appear to be maladaptive (e.g., catastrophizing, diverting attention, increasing behavioral activities). Patients who rated their ability to decrease pain as relatively high, reported lower levels of depression and pain. These findings are consistent with a contextual perspective on coping which postulates that few, if any, age differences in coping are to be expected when individuals are coping with a similar life event.
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Journal of gerontology · May 1990
Using DSM-III criteria to diagnose delirium in elderly general medical patients.
Studies of delirium in general medical populations have used criteria for delirium different from current DSM-III or DSM-IIIR criteria of the American Psychiatric Association, or have used DSM-III or DSM-IIIR criteria without operationalizing the components of these criteria. Therefore this prospective study was conducted to establish an approach to operationalizing DSM-III criteria and to determine the incidence and prevalence of delirium. ⋯ Patients with low scores on screening tests or clinical evidence suggestive of any psychiatric disorder and controls were seen by a psychiatrist, who determined whether delirium was present by applying explicit operational definitions to each component of the DSM-III criteria for delirium. We conclude that the syndrome of delirium as defined by the American Psychiatric Association is prevalent on admission among elderly on general medical services, but the number of cases developing in the hospital is much less than often stated in the literature.
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Journal of gerontology · Mar 1990
Comparative StudyChronic pain in old and young patients: differences appear less important than similarities.
Two studies compared physical and psychosocial characteristics of elderly and younger chronic pain patients. No age differences were found during intake for the number of physical coping strategies. Elderly patients named fewer cognitive strategies. ⋯ Both age groups had comparable scores on measures of social support and perceptions of how others react to their pain. The present research suggests that there are relatively few factors distinguishing pain patients based on age. Moreover, age should not be a significant factor to consider when offering patients multidisciplinary treatment for chronic pain that focuses on psychological as well as physical modalities.
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Journal of gerontology · Mar 1990
Comparative StudyComparison of two cognitive bedside screening instruments in nursing home residents: a factor analytic study.
The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Blessed Orientation-Memory-Concentration test (BOMC) were each administered to 110 nursing home residents. The correlation between the MMSE and BOMC's total score was -.79. ⋯ The results suggest that the somewhat longer MMSE may be preferred for bedside mental status testing, as it clearly measures an additional dimension of cognitive ability, while the BOMC is primarily a unidimensional test. The theoretical and clinical implications of bedside mental status testing of elderly patients are discussed.
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Journal of gerontology · Mar 1989
Data quality and age: health and psychobehavioral correlates of item nonresponse and inconsistent responses.
This study examined item nonresponse and inconsistent responses (IRs) and their health and psychobehavioral correlates in a population-based survey of adults 65 years and older. We administered an in-person questionnaire concerning physical, social, and psychological health to 1,155 men (mean age = 73.7 years) and 1,942 women (mean age = 74.8 years). ⋯ Conversely, IRs increased with age among men but not women, but were also associated with poorer physical, cognitive, and psychological functioning. Results are discussed in terms of motivational and attentional factors, and their implications for survey research with the frail elderly and very old are noted.