Role of loneliness in the relationship between chronic pain and analgesic use in the elderly

Abstract

Aim: Loneliness is more frequently observed in older adults than in other age groups and is associated with adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between loneliness, chronic pain, and analgesic use in the geriatric population.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 384  elderly subjects who presented to a family medicine outpatient clinic. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale for the Elderly and the Geriatric Pain Measure were used to collect data on the variables.

Results: The mean age of the 384 elderly  participants included in the study was 74.91±7.12 years (range: 65–91). Of the participants, 52.9% were women and 11.7% were living alone. Higher frequencies of analgesic use were associated with higher pain and loneliness scores (p<0.001). A moderate, positive, and statistically significant correlation was found between pain and loneliness scores (r=0.478, p<0.001). In the multivariate linear regression analysis, each 1-point increase in the loneliness score led to a 1.72-point increase in the pain score. Female sex and chronic diseases were associated with 4.63- and 9.65-point increases in the pain score, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that, independent of age, sex, and pain score, each 1-point increase in the loneliness scale score was associated with a higher likelihood of using analgesics ≥15 times/month (OR=1.29), 8–14 (OR = 1.24), and 2–7 (OR = 1.22) times/month. Age and sex did not have any  significant effect on monthly analgesic use.

Conclusion: There is a positive relationship between loneliness, chronic pain, and frequent use of analgesics in the elderly subjects Psychosocial assessment and support in elderly patients may help reduce excessive analgesic consumption.