Depressie en pijn: Een ongelukkig huwelijk

Depression and pain are common disorders among nursing home residents. Residents with depression report more pain than residents without depression and residents with pain more frequently suffer from depression than residents without pain. More severe depression is associated with more pain and more severe pain is associated with more depression. Presence of pain hinders the recognition of depression and negatively effects treatment of depression. Presence of depression in turn negatively effects the treatment of pain. The high prevalence of pain, of depression and of the unhappy marriage of pain and depression among nursing home residents, asks for a systematical screening of these residents on depression and pain.