Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pain Characteristics Associated With The Onset Of Disability In Older Adults: The Maintenance Of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, And Zest In The Elderly Boston Study, Suzanne G. Leveille, Laura H.P. Eggermont

Suzanne G. Leveille

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of chronic pain

on the development of disability and decline in physical

performance over time in older adults.

DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study with 18 months of

follow-up.

SETTING: Urban and suburban communities.

PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling older adults aged

65 and older (N = 634).

MEASUREMENTS: Chronic pain assessment consisted of

musculoskeletal pain locations and pain severity and pain

interference according to the subscales of the Brief Pain

Inventory. Disability was self-reported as any difficulty in

mobility and basic and instrumental activities of daily living

(ADLs, IADLs). Mobility performance was measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery …

Health Profile Of Brazilian Mothers In Massachusetts In The Twenty First Century, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Teresa Roberts, Fernanda Lucchese

C. Eduardo Siqueira

This paper describes the health profile of Brazilian mothers in Massachusetts according to data collected through Massachusetts Standard Certificate of Live Births (1989 revision) filed with the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics during 1999 and 2009. To our knowledge this is the first time that such information is reviewed with a focus on Brazilian immigrants. The findings of this article suggests that Brazilian mothers who gave birth in Massachusetts between 1999 and 2009 fared better than all mothers in Massachusetts in most obstetric health indicators considered.

Management Of Persistent Pain In Older Adults: The Mobilize Boston Study, Suzanne G. Leveille, Carrie Stewart

Suzanne G. Leveille

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of pharmacological (PS) and nonpharmacological (NPS) pain management approaches used by older adults with persistent pain and to identify characteristics associated with use of these approaches.

DESIGN: Population-based cohort.

SETTING: Urban and suburban communities in the

Boston, Massachusetts, area.

PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred sixty-five adults aged 64

and older underwent a home interview and clinic examination. Those reporting any persistent pain were included in this analysis (N = 599).

MEASUREMENTS: All prescription and nonprescription

medications were recorded during the home interview.

NPS modalities for pain management were assessed using

a modification of the Pain Management Inventory. …

Community-University Research Partnerships For Workers' And Environmental Health In Campinas Brazil, Maria Inês Monteiro, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Heleno Rodrigues Correa-Filho

C. Eduardo Siqueira

Three partnerships between the University of Campinas, community, and pubLic health care services are discussed in this article. A theoretical framework underpins the critical reviews of their accomplishments following criteria proposed by scholars of community-university partnerships and community-based participatory research. The article concludes that despite the significant achievements, there still remain important barriers for their development due to performance criteria that do not value research that partner with communities, health care services, or labor unions.

Characteristics Of Chronic Pain Associated With Sleep Difficulty In Older Adults: The Maintenance Of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, And Zest In The Elderly (Mobilize) Boston Study, Suzanne G. Leveille Phd, Qian Chen Bsn, Rn

Suzanne G. Leveille

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate pain severity and distribution

in relation to sleep difficulty in older adults.

DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Community within a 5-mile radius of the study

center at the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew Senior-

Life (HSL), Boston.

PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred sixty-five participants of

the Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect,

and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston Study aged 64

and older.

MEASUREMENTS: Pain severity was measured using the

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Pain Severity Subscale. Musculoskeletal pain distribution was grouped according to no pain, single site, two or more sites, and widespread pain

(upper and lower …

Tender Point Count, Pain, And Mobility In The Older Population: The Mobilize Boston Study, Suzanne G. Leveille, Laura H.P. Eggermont

Suzanne G. Leveille

Abstract: Prevalence of tender points (TP), and widespread pain and fibromyalgia, as well as the relationship between TP and widespread pain and mobility, was examined in 585 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 78.2 years, 63.4% female). Pain was based on location (none, single site, multisite, widespread). Mobility was measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), gait speed, and self-reported (S-R) mobility difficulty. Tender-point count and health characteristics (ie, BMI, chronic conditions, analgesic use, number of medications, depression, and blocks walked per week) were assessed. Several participants had 3 or more TP (22.1%) although prevalence of criteria-based fibromyalgia was low …

Comparing Pain Severity Versus Pain Location In The Mobilize Boston Study: Chronic Pain And Lower Extremity Function, Suzanne G. Leveille, Laura H.P. Eggermont

Suzanne G. Leveille

Background. This study compared measures of chronic pain, for example, number of pain sites and overall pain

severity, in relation to lower extremity function in the older population.

Methods. Six hundred older adults (mean age 77.9 years, 64% female) were queried about presence of chronic pain.

Number of pain sites was categorized as none, single site, multisite, or widespread. Pain severity was measured in

quartiles of the Brief Pain Inventory pain severity subscale. Lower extremity function was assessed by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), a composite measure of gait speed, balance, and chair stands.

Results. Many older persons reported …

Physical Activity And Executive Function In Aging: The Mobilize Boston Study, Suzanne G. Leveille, Laura H.P. Eggermont

Suzanne G. Leveille

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between

physical activity and cognition, specifically executive function, and the possible mediating role of factors such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors, chronic

pain, and depressive symptoms.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Population-based study of individuals aged 70 and older in the Boston area.

PARTICIPANTS: Older community-dwelling adults (n5

544; mean age 78, 62% female).

MEASUREMENTS: Presence of heart disease (self-reported

physician diagnosed), pain, and depressive symptomatology

were assessed using interviewer-administered questions.

Blood pressure was measured. Engagement in physical activity was determined using the Physical Activity Scale for

the Elderly (PASE). Cognitive function was …

Chronicmusculoskeletal Pain And The Occurrence Of Falls In An Older Population, Suzanne G. Leveille

Suzanne G. Leveille

Context Chronic pain is a major contributor to disability in older adults; however, the potential role of chronic pain as a risk factor for falls is poorly understood.

Objective To determine whether chronic musculoskeletal pain is associated with an increased occurrence of falls in a cohort of community-living older adults.

Design, Setting, and Participants The Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston Study is a population-based

longitudinal study of falls involving 749 adults aged 70 years and older. Participants were enrolled from September 2005 through January 2008.

Main Outcome Measure Participants recorded falls on …

The Mobilize Boston Study: Design And Methods Of A Prospective Cohort Study Of Novel Risk Factors For Falls In An Older Population, Suzanne G. Leveille

Suzanne G. Leveille

Abstract

Background: Falls are the sixth leading cause of death in elderly people in the U.S. Despite progress in understanding risk factors for falls, many suspected risk factors have not been adequately studied. Putative risk factors for falls such as pain, reductions in cerebral blood flow, somatosensory deficits, and foot disorders are poorly understood, in part because they pose measurement challenges, particularly for large observational studies.

Methods: The MOBILIZE Boston Study (MBS), an NIA-funded Program Project, is a prospective cohort study of a unique set of risk factors for falls in seniors in the Boston area. Using a door-to-door population-based …