This analysis revealed 13 different patterns of pain, said Susan A. Ruzicka, Ph.D., a specialist in chronic nursing care at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
The most common pattern, involving 80 patients, featured a low level of physiologic pain, a high level of spiritual well-being, and a high level of self-perceived function. The second most common pattern, with 28 patients, involved low physiologic pain, high spiritual well-being, and functional dependency. The analysis also revealed 11 other patterns of pain, each of which characterized four or fewer patients.
By assessing patients holistically, using a variety of pain measures, patients can be divided into “distinct pain patterns that can lead to increased options for helping patients alleviate their pain,” Dr. Ruzicka explained.