Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29931391›Full record

ReviewSchmerz (Berlin, Germany)2018

Pain in older adults with dementia : A survey across Europe on current practices, use of assessment tools, guidelines and policies.

S Zwakhalen, R E Docking, I Gnass, E Sirsch, C Stewart, N Allcock, P Schofield

Registry-linked trialAbstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Schmerz (Berlin, Germany), 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06264362 (Developing a Nonpharmacological Pain Intervention for Community-dwelling Older Adults With Dementia), which is not on this map. Cited by 22 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06264362 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Developing a Nonpharmacological Pain Intervention for Community-dwelling Older Adults With Dementia

TypeinterventionalSponsorDrexel UniversityRan2025 to 2027Enrolled40ConditionsPain, Chronic, Dementia, Mild, Mobility Limitation, Physical DisabilityArmsTailored Physical Activity Program
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

22 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Algorithm-based pain management for people with dementia in nursing homes.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022
    Pooled it
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  11. [Pain treatment in old age: special features and recommendations].Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie · 2021
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

S ZwakhalenSchool for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Department of Health Services Research, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
R E DockingFaculty of Education and Health, Department of Adult Nursing and Paramedic Sciences, University of Greenwich, London, UK.
I GnassInstitute of Nursing Science and Practice, Paracelsus Medical University, Strubergasse 21, 5020, Salzburg, Austria. irmela.gnass@pmu.ac.at.
E SirschFaculty of Nursing Science, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Vallendar (Catholic University), Vallendar, Germany.
C StewartNHS Research Scotland, The Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, UK.
N AllcockProfessional and Clinical Development Lead, InHealth Pain Management Solutions Limited, Barnsley, UK.
P SchofieldFaculty of Education and Health, Department of Adult Nursing and Paramedic Sciences, University of Greenwich, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWe aimed to explore the existing use of pain assessment tools and guidelines, and develop understanding of the practical considerations required to facilitate their use within the nursing home, hospital and community settings.

methodsA self-administered web-based survey was conducted with nurses, health and social care workers with an interest in the assessment of pain in older adults with cognitive impairment. The survey was distributed to participants in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

resultsOnly a minority of staff reported use of (inter-)national or local standards or specific pain assessment tools in daily practice. A range of tools were reported as being used, which varied across country. While participants generally reported that these pain assessment tools were easy/very easy to use, many participants reported that they were difficult to interpret. Assessment is generally performed whilst providing nursing care. This was highlighted in 70-80% of all participating countries. While many of these tools rely on facial expression of pain, facial expressions were considered to be the least useful in comparison to other items. Furthermore findings showed that nurses employed in long-term care settings did not feel that they were educated enough in pain assessment and management.

conclusionOur findings suggest that pain education is required across all countries surveyed. This should include a focus on guidelines and standards for assessment and subsequent management of pain. Findings suggest that clinical staff find interpreting facial expressions in relation to pain more difficult.

Indexed as

DementiaPainAgedAged, 80 and overAustriaEuropeGermanyHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesSwitzerlandFrail elderlyGuidelinesPain assessmentProxy assessmentSurvey

Identifiers

PMID29931391

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.