Applied Nursing Research
Volume 18, Issue 2 , Pages 90-96, May 2005

Patients' choices for the self-treatment of pain☆

  • April Hazard Vallerand, PhD, RN

      Affiliations

    • Department of Adult Health, Wayne State University College of Nursing, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 313 577 0359 (office), +1 248 305 8455 (home); fax: +1 313 577 5777.
    • ,
  • Judith Fouladbakhsh, MSN, APRN, BC, AHN-C

      Affiliations

    • Department of Family, Wayne State University College of Nursing, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
    • ,
  • Thomas Templin, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Center for Health Research, Wayne State University College of Nursing, Detroit, MI 48202, USA

Received 28 November 2003; received in revised form 24 June 2004; accepted 26 July 2004.

Abstract 

Pain is a common problem that affects the functional status and quality of life of people in all communities. This study explored the occurrence of pain and the pain self-treatment modalities used by 723 community residents. Mean worst pain scores were moderate to severe and interfered with all activities at a low-to-moderate level. Participants reported taking nonopioid analgesics (75%), opioid analgesics (15%), adjuvant analgesics (11.6%), and herbal products and supplements (29%); 68% used nonpharmacological modalities. Current regimens were reported to relieve only 45% of pain. Twenty-eight percent of participants reported that they had not informed their primary care practitioner of their self-treatment choices. Knowledge of self-treatment choices is imperative in planning treatment regimens for pain or other health problems to prevent potential interactions or side effects.

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☆ Funded by grants from the Wayne State University and Wayne State University College of Nursing (Detroit, Mich).

PII: S0897-1897(05)00016-9

doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2004.07.003

Applied Nursing Research
Volume 18, Issue 2 , Pages 90-96, May 2005

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