Non-pharmacological interventions for community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain and comorbidity: A scoping review of randomized controlled trials

Background: Chronic pain frequently exists with other comorbid conditions in older adults, yet little is known about the effectiveness of non-pharmacologic interventions. A scoping review was conducted to provide an overview of the nature of the published evidence on the nonpharmacological interventions for chronic pain in communitydwelling older adults with comorbid conditions. Methods: A literature search of relevant databases was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they were intervention studies, used a randomized controlled trial design, and met criteria of the critical appraisal. Results: Eleven studies were identified as high quality. Most studies did not quantify a comorbidity index and/or burden, nor reported the specific comorbid conditions of participants with chronic pain. In addition, none of the identified studies measured change in participant comorbidity and/or burden. Conclusion: Future research should address the effects of non-pharmacological interventions on pain, comorbidities, and other health outcomes. (C) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This scoping review identified a limited number of high-quality studies on non-pharmacological interventions for older adults with comorbid conditions and chronic pain in community settings. The studies lacked quantification and specific reporting of comorbidity indices and burden, and none of them measured changes in participant comorbidities and burden.