Variability of post-operative acute pain management and the association of patients' socio-demographics on pain management outcome in Indonesia: A multicenter hospital-based observational study

Purpose Optimizing acute postoperative pain management requires understanding current practices and outcomes within local contexts. This study investigated the variability of postoperative pain management practices and outcomes in Indonesia.MethodsA descriptive multicenter observational study was conducted among patients undergoing elective surgery. Data collected included demographics, type of surgery, anesthesia, analgesics, pain intensity (preoperatively, in the recovery room, and 24 h postoperatively), patient satisfaction, and side effects. Correlation analyses were performed (α = 0.05 and 95% CI).ResultsAmong 6767 patients, orthopedic surgeries were the most common, with 94.3% receiving single anesthesia, primarily general anesthesia (75.3%). Analgesia was administered using either a single modality (24.2%) or a combination of modalities (75.8%), with combined analgesia predominantly applied intraoperatively (36.6%) and postoperatively (56.4%). Across all age groups, including neonates and infants (n = 129), patients aged 1–7 years (n = 410), patients older than 7 years (n = 6228), and critically ill patients (n = 71), individuals reporting no pain increased from 16.6 to 39.3% preoperatively to 37.2–73.2% at 24 h postoperatively. Side effects were minimal, and overall satisfaction was high. Significant associations were observed between demographic characteristics and postoperative pain outcomes.ConclusionCombined analgesia is an effective approach to managing postoperative acute pain, with high patient satisfaction. Demographic characteristics showed significant associations with postoperative pain management outcomes, underscoring the need for individualized pain management strategies.