Βody Pain and Psychological Distress in Patients with Orthopedic Problems

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is of fundamental importance to humans, it is a warning system. Advances in medicine and nursing have provided a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the whole dimension of pain. Objective: To
investigate the effect of physical pain on the mental health of patients with orthopedic problems, as well as their
relationship with the characteristics of patients. Material and Method: A cross-sectional study was contacted in
which 103 patients with musculoskeletal disorders hospitalized in an Orthopedic General Hospital Clinic, participated. An anonymous questionnaire consisting of three question sections was used to collect the data, (a) Questions of
demographic and social characteristics, health and functionality, (b) The SFMPQ Pain Investigation Questionnaire,
(c) The DASS-21 Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Parametric tests were used for statistical data processing. The
level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Of the 103 patients, 67.0% were women and 33.0% were
men. The age ranged from 26 to 89 years, with an average of 63.81 years. Gender, age, number of children, level of
education and occupation are associated with depression, stress and overall mental stress. All dimensions of pain
(intensity of present pain, sensory pain, emotional pain, total pain sensation) were positively correlated with stress
intensity (p<0.001), depression (p<0.001) and stress (p<0.001). Conclusions: Pain is a common problem in patients
with orthopedic health problems related to their mental health. The treatment must be patient-centered, under an
holistic approach.