Chronic pain: perception of elderly cancer patients in hospital and their coping strategies

Abstract

The pain is a multidimensional experience that generates physical discomfort and triggers many affective and emotional responses. In the elderly population the prevalence of pain is high, and within the Oncology pain is the most frequent symptom and difficult to control. Whereas chronic pain in the geriatric population is evidenced as a estressora situation, and there is a great variability in the shape to face such situations, this study aims to analyze the perception of the elderly hospitalized cancer and coping strategies used by this on chronic pain. This is an exploratory study, qualitative and descriptive in nature, through which was conducted five case study participants. It was used the semi-structured interview technique and the analysis of the data was performed by the method of content Analysis of Bardin. The results highlighted that the participants mean the experience of pain as a negative experience, generating and intensifying the isolation and feelings of irritation, as well as highlighted the religiosity and spirituality while main strategies to minimize negative impacts arising from illness and ongoing treatments. Understanding the way to confront pain can assist health professionals in the analysis of factors influencing on same, as well as the appropriateness of possible strategies of dysfunctional coping in the context of health, assisting the elderly in treatment and in your quality of life.