Chronic pain is one of the major causes of disability among individuals. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of this type of self-reported pain by undergraduate nursing students and characterize it concerning its occurrence, location, duration, intensity, and quality. This cross-sectional study was developed at a Nursing College in Goiás, Brazil, between May and June of 2008 with 211 students. The prevalence of self-reported chronic pain was 59.7%, frequently located in the head (38.1%), lower back (11.9%) and shoulder/upper members (11.9%). In 46% of the cases, living with the pain ranged from one to five years with a strong intensity (Median pain scores=7) and was described as throbbing, stabbing, tiring, sickening, that bothers, and tight. The prevalence of pain is higher than that estimated in similar studies, pointing to the future health of this generation and the need for disease prevention and health promotion programs for adequate relief among this population.
Pain; Students, nursing; Prevalence
