Effects of Pain on Memory, Physical Function, and Sleep Disturbance in Older Adults with Chronic Disease: The Mediating Role of Depression

Abstract

Purpose:Thepresent studywasdonetoexaminetheroleof depression asamediator oftheeffect of painseverity onmemory function, physical function and sleepdisturbance in older adults with chronicdisease. Methods:The participantswere158older adultswithchronicdiseasewho werelivingat home.Allparticipantscompleted struc- tured symptom questionnaires. Data were analysedwith theSPSS program, usingdescriptivestatistics and re- gressionanalysis. Results:Mediationanalysis suggested that pain severity influencessleepdisturbancedirectly as well as indirectly by its effect on depression. The ratio for sleep disturbance affected by pain severity directly was72.7%andforsleepdisturbanceaffectedbypainseverity viadepressionindirectly, 27.3%.Conclusion:These results indicatethat effect of pain severityon sleepdisturbanceismediatedbydepression. Painseverityaffected sleepdisturbance directly aswell. Thesefindings suggest clinicalinterventionopportunitiesthat include strategies to improve depression for better pain control which in turn will result in reduced sleep disturbance.