ArticleJournal of clinical nursing2025
Pain Assessment and Management in Dementia Care: Qualitative Perspectives of People With Dementia, Their Families, and Healthcare Professionals.
Article in Journal of clinical nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- What is the evidence for physical interventions for people living with advanced dementia in the community? A meta-review.BMJ supportive & palliative care · 2026Pooled it
- Development and Preliminary Application of a KAP Scale for Nursing Assistants in Pain Care for Older Adults With Dementia.Journal of advanced nursing · 2026Article
- Implementing Pain Management Approaches Among Patients With Dementia in an Acute Hospital Setting: A Scoping Review.Nursing open · 2026Article
- Digital Pain Assessment: Patient and Family Perspectives.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2026Article
- Limited Australian clinical guidelines for pain assessment in hospitalized older adults with cognitive impairment: implications for safe and quality care.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Factors related to identification and treatment of pain underlying neuropsychiatric symptoms: a prospective study using data from a multi-component dementia care programme.BMC palliative care · 2025Article
- Priority setting in dementia palliative care research for people living with dementia and carers: A mixed methods consensus study.Palliative care and social practice · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
aimPain is under-assessed and under-treated among people living with dementia. This study aims to explore the perspectives of people with dementia, family carers, and healthcare professionals regarding their experiences and needs for pain assessment and management.
designA qualitative descriptive approach.
methodsBetween May and August 2023, people with early-stage dementia (n = 6), their family carers (n = 7), and healthcare professionals (n = 10) from four Australian states participated in semi-structured interviews, online or by telephone. Most of the participants were female. Work experience of healthcare professionals and caring experience of carers ranged from 3-40 and 2-8 years, respectively. Following transcription, the data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
resultsFour main themes and 10 subthemes were identified. Main themes were (1) communications to identify pain in people with dementia, (2) pain assessment in people with dementia, (3) pain management strategies, and (4) training in pain and dementia care. Healthcare professionals and family carers reported challenges in pain identification. People with dementia also mentioned their pain being unrecognised by carers. Facilitators included familiarity and communication with people with dementia and family carers. Non-verbal cues and unusual behaviours were commonly used to identify pain, and a personalised pain assessment approach was highlighted. Non-pharmacological strategies were used as the first-line therapy to manage pain. However, a lack of knowledge and training in pain and dementia care indicated the need for a training program (e.g., a self-paced online short course).
conclusionsPain assessment and management in people with dementia is challenging, primarily due to communication barriers and a lack of skill training. Formal pain assessment and management training and efficient, easy-to-use pain assessment tools are needed to address this. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Limited communication capacity in people with dementia and lack of training in carers are key challenges regarding pain assessment and management in people with dementia. Improved training in communication, pain assessment, and management skills may help to address these challenges. IMPACT: This study addressed a lack of knowledge and skills for healthcare professionals and family carers in effective pain assessment and management in people with dementia. Collaborative communication among different stakeholders and skills training may overcome the challenges and barriers. REPORTING
methodCOREQ guidelines were followed when reporting this study. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Healthcare professionals, people with dementia, and family carers contributed to the design of interview questions and data collection.
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