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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Alice Jordan, Dr Claud Regnard, Professor John O'Brien, Professor Julian Hughes
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Objective: There is a concern that pain is under-recognized in dementia. However, there may be other causes of distress. We wished to evaluate the utility of a distress tool and a pain tool. Methods: Nursing home residents with advanced dementia were observed using pain (Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia scale (PAINAD)) and distress (Disability Distress Assessment Tool (DisDAT)) assessment tools. Those in pain were treated. Reassessment occurred at one and three months. Results: From 79 participants, 13 were assessed as being in pain. Psychosocial factors explained the behaviour of a false positive group. Both tools showed a significant decrease in pain following intervention (p = 0.008). Behaviours were similar in both groups. Conclusions: Both tools are useful. However, the pain tool also picks up distress, which is not caused by pain. It could potentially lead to false ascriptions of pain. The distress tool picks up a broader array of signs, which may be useful both in practice and in research.
Author(s): Jordan A, Regnard C, O'Brien JT, Hughes JC
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Palliative Medicine
Year: 2012
Volume: 26
Issue: 7
Pages: 873-878
Print publication date: 07/07/2012
ISSN (print): 0269-2163
ISSN (electronic): 1477-030X
Publisher: Sage
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269216311412227
DOI: 10.1177/0269216311412227
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