RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: First of all, understand the management of pain in the elderly population through GP experiences and, secondly, explore their implication to the benefit of well aging. METHOD: Qualitative study with data collection combining 2 focus groups and 5 in depth interviews centered on the lived experience of 16 GPs in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. A semiopragmatic phenomenological analysis of the fully transcribed verbatim interviews was used to establish the significant categories in relation with our objectives. RESULTS: The GPs feel that the pain management still needs improvement even though it has become one of their priorities. GPs often notice iatrogenic effects in the care taking process of multiple pathologies which make them choose for the use of non-pharmacological interventions. The complex nature of pain, which has multiple significations for the elderly population, needs an overall approach by the GPs. They feel that it's their job to manage this because of the proximity and knowledge of the patient and his weaknesses. For them, aging well is a patient experience, they are only a support in this process. DISCUSSION: GPs think that they are expert in the complex process of pain management. This process has to be seen in a multidimensional approach of an older person with multiple pathologies. Therefore, they make use of non-pharmacological interventions. CONCLUSION: These interventions need to be developed to improve the quality of life in the elderly population.
