LANGUAGE OF FAITH

COPING STRATEGIES FOR OLDER PEOPLELIVING WITH CHRONIC PAIN

Abstract

Coping strategies are a theoretical framework that encompasses the actions, efforts, and behaviors individuals use to deal with adverse situations arising from
any cause. These efforts or coping strategies may be focused either on problem-solving or on emotional responses. Aging has been extensively investigated, revealing the presence of chronic diseases that negatively impact people’s quality of life, especially chronic pain associated with central sensitization, which is difficult to manage. In this context, the objective of this study was to analyze, in the literature, coping strategies related to faith used by older adults living with chronic pain. The methodology adopted was an integrative review with an interdisciplinary and qualitative approach, based on PRISMA criteria, using the descriptors “Aged”; “Chronic Pain”; “Spirituality”; “Coping Strategies”; and “Religion” in the BVS and Google Scholar databases, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. As inclusion criteria, studies published within the last ten years (2016–2026) were selected. The search results identified 73 articles in Google Scholar, while no articles meeting the inclusion criteria were found in the BVS database. After reading titles and abstracts, duplicate studies, articles outside the established time frame, and those not aligned with the proposed theme were excluded. A total of 9 articles remained for full reading and critical analysis. The results indicate a scarcity of studies relating faith as a coping strategy for chronic pain. However, the findings highlight the relevance of faith development as a coping strategy among older adults in health-disease processes, particularly in chronic pain.