A Qualitative Study to Explore the Life Experiences of Older People Over 65 who are Living with Both Pain and Frailty

Abstract

Background: Individuals with chronic pain have an increased likelihood of becoming frail and frail individuals report pain, but the antecedent is unknown (Wade et al., 2017). Understanding the perspective of individuals who are living with frailty and pain is therefore important to provide insight into the complex interplay between these conditions. Aims: •To explore the sequence of events in the context of the individuals’ life journey which led to the development of both pain and frailty. •To gain a deeper understanding of the interplay between pain and frailty. Methods The study design used a narrative methodological approach to obtain life story narratives from 12 older people living with pain and frailty. In semi-structured interviews participants were asked to tell their life stories. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. A life history calendar was provided, with questions to prompt explorative discussion around their experience. Results: All participants reported a strong connection between pain and frailty. The themes highlight the complex interplay between pain and frailty, and this will be presented. Conclusion: This study is the first to deepen our understanding of the lived experience of pain and frailty. The study plots the chronological narrative structure through which people understand and describe the relationship between the events and choices they made about pain and frailty over the course of their life.

Date of Award	31 Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Michelle Briggs (Supervisor), John Mcbeth (Supervisor) & Helen Hurst (Supervisor)