Prevalence and management of pain disorders among patients of different stages of life at cape coast teaching hospital, Ghana

Introduction: Pain significantly impacts quality of life, yet healthcare providers in resource-limited settings such as Ghana often struggle to detect and manage pain sufficiently. This study examines pain prevalence and management strategies across different age groups in a Ghanaian teaching hospital. Method: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was carried out at Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH). The study considered categories of participants: infants, children and adults. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. The FLACC scale rated infant pain, the Wong-Baker FACES measured child pain, and the McGill Pain Questionnaire assessed adult pain. Results: Distinct patterns of pain experience across different age groups were observed. Among infants, 70.9% experienced pain, with malaria (16.7%), car accidents (14.1%) and jaundice (11.5%) as the main causes. Infants experienced acute pain the most, affecting 80%. Among children, abdominal pain (61.6%) was the leading form of pain among those who experienced pain (58.6%). For adults, 60% reported experiencing pain mainly due to ongoing medical problems (28.7%). Adults experienced more chronic pain episodes (56.0%). Across all age groups, pharmacotherapy was the primary treatment approach, with paracetamol and ibuprofen being the most prescribed pain relievers. Treatment outcomes varied, with 25.0% experiencing complete relief, 29.0% partial relief and 45.9% reporting no relief. Conclusion: The research data illustrate widespread pain among all age categories, thus demanding specialized assessment instruments and tailored management solutions for various patient age groups. Pain relief was mostly pharmacological, but many chronic pain patients reported only temporary relief. The study emphasizes the need for pain clinics with suitable age-appropriate management strategies, advocating patient-centered care to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life.