Pain prevalence, socio-demographic and clinical features in patients with chronic ulcers

•The pain is the most frequently symptom referred by the patients with chronic wound.•The venous ulcers are more prevalent in elderly women and low-income.•Patients with arterial ulcers had more pain than those venous ulcers or other types of ulcers.•Patients with chronic wounds feel pain, being more present in people higher education and having arterial ulcers.

Chronic wounds are considered a worldwide epidemic and pain is the most frequently symptom referred by the patients who have this type of wound. The aim was to assess the prevalence of pain in chronic wounds and relate socio-demographic and clinical variables to pain. This is an analytical cross-sectional study, carried out in Basic Health Units (BHU), Family Health Strategy (ESF) and in a university hospital in two cities of Minas Gerais. 200 individuals who had chronic ulcers of different etiologies participated. Data collection took place between October 2012 and January 2013. The majority of participants (69%) reported they were in pain during the interview. Subjects with higher education had more pain. Patients with venous ulcers had less severe pain, and arterial ulcers were responsible for scoring the highest value of pain. It was found that most patients with chronic wounds feel pain; its intensity depends on the type of wound and this symptom should be recognized while caring for these patients.