Pain Prevalence in Hospitalized Patients

Overview

Pain is a sensation of discomfort, annoyance or distress, described as an unpleasant subjective sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential injury, and may associate vegetative, psychological, emotional, and behavioral responses. It is the main reason for medical consultation and in many cases it is assumed as inevitable. It is also a clinical symptom and generates negative consequences. As a result, people who suffer from "pain" may see their quality of life diminished. On many occasions, either due to the high healthcare burden, because pain is not the reason for consultation or because the main pathology suffered by the patient is not the cause of the pain, not attention is given to it. The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of pain in the inpatient population, analyzing its presence and intensity in patients admitted to the Doctor Negrín University Hospital of Gran Canaria. Likewise, it is interesting to know what percentage of patients with pain have analgesics and the degree of relief with the treatment received. As a secondary objective, it is intended to establish whether there is a relationship between factors dependent on the patient and the presence of pain.

Pain is a sensation of discomfort, annoyance or distress, described as an unpleasant subjective sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential injury, and may associate vegetative, psychological, emotional, and behavioral responses. It is the main reason for medical consultation and in many cases it is assumed as inevitable. It is also a clinical symptom and generates negative consequences. As a result, people who suffer from "pain" may see their quality of life diminished. Its appearance requires a multidisciplinary treatment, from different perspectives and through different mechanisms, taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient; since this symptom can be modified which today are not strictly described. On many occasions, either due to the high healthcare burden, because pain is not the reason for consultation or because the main pathology suffered by the patient is not the cause of the pain, not attention is given to it. It is necessary to carry out a good questionnaire to the patient and take into account the presence or absence of pain, regardless of the primary pathology that concerns us, in order to be able to provide correct attention. Pain control may greatly vary the patient's vision of his ailment and with it, his psycho-emotional state, his attitude and his collaboration, reducing the impact on his quality of life and the duration of hospital admission. The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of pain in the inpatient population, analyzing its presence and intensity in patients admitted to the Doctor Negrín University Hospital of Gran Canaria. Likewise, it is interesting to know what percentage of patients with pain have analgesics and the degree of relief with the treatment received. As a secondary objective, it is intended to establish whether there is a relationship between factors dependent on the patient and the presence of pain.