Intra and inter-rater reliability of algometry to measure pain threshold in institutionalized elderly

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Pain becomes an important factor when studying the elderly population, as it has a great impact on daily activities, increasing comorbidities and mortality, becoming a serious public health problem. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the reliability of the intra-examiner and inter-examiner measurements of a digital algometer in measuring the hip pain threshold of institutionalized and fragile elderly people. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample was intentionally in accordance with the elderly's cognitive ability to respond to assessments; two examiners performed algometry in the hip region on 17 elderly residents of a long-term institution. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) demonstrated high reliability of the intra-examiner instrument - equal to 0.877 and very high inter-examiner - equal to 0.973. CONCLUSION: There is reliability in the digital algometer in measuring the hip pain threshold in the elderly in a long-term institution.