Pain Intensity and the Affecting Factors in Elderly Patients with Arthroplasty Surgery

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the severity of pain and affecting factors experienced by elderly patients with arthroplasty surgery. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The data were collected from the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic of a university hospital between February 2014-April 2015. Data were collected by using top “Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Form”, “Brief Pain Inventory” and “Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale”. The study included 128 elderly patients who accepted to participate in the study. Ethics committee and hospital permission were obtained. Results: The mean age of the elderly patients with arthroplasty surgery was 71,05±6,21 (min=65, max=86). The mean pain score was 8,17±2,45 (min=0, max=10) in the last 24 hours, and the slightest pain score in the last 24 hours was 3,16±2,18. The mean hospital anxiety and depression scores of elderly patients undergoing arthroplasty surgery were 11,48±5,36 and 8,74±5,25, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the pain severity (current) according to the presence of anxiety in elderly patients (t=-2,05; p=0,04). There was no statistically significant difference between gender, educational status, operation and depression and pain severity (present) (p> 0,05). Patients who had total knee arthroplasty had significantly higher pain severity than patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty. (t=4,01, p=0,00). Conclusion: Elderly patients with arthroplasty had severe postoperative pain. Elderly people may experience less pain with combined therapy for pain management in elderly patients. Managing anxiety in preoperative and postoperative can reduce pain. Therefore, it may be recommended to give preoperative training to elderly patients