Unique contributions of heart failure and chronic pain on physical function and quality of life in older adults

Asa B Smith; Anna K Forster; Katelyn E Webster-Dekker; Kelly L Wierenga

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2026.103921

Unique contributions of heart failure and chronic pain on physical function and quality of life in older adults

Geriatr Nurs. 2026 Feb 3:69:103921. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2026.103921. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Asa B Smith¹, Anna K Forster², Katelyn E Webster-Dekker³, Kelly L Wierenga⁴

Affiliations

¹ Assistant Professor, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, USA. Electronic address: asasmit@iu.edu.
² Communications Analyst, AARP Indiana, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
³ Assistant Professor, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁴ Associate Professor, Louise Herrington School of Nursing, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA.

PMID: 41637774
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2026.103921

Abstract

Aims: The aims of this study were to investigate if chronic pain presence is significantly increased in older adults with heart failure (HF) compared to those without HF, and if a combination of pain and HF reduced quality of life and physical function.

Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional survey and medical record data from 41,395 participants age ≥65 in the All of Us Research Program were analyzed using linear and logistic regression.

Results: Participants with HF had a higher prevalence of chronic pain than those without HF but was not statistically significant. Having pain only, HF only, and both pain and HF were associated with reduced quality of life and physical function when compared to having no HF or pain. However, these associations were the strongest in those with both chronic pain and HF.

Conclusions: A combination of HF and chronic pain markedly worsened outcomes, underscoring the need for improved pain management.

Keywords: Heart failure; Pain; Physical function; Quality of life.