Improving chronic pain journeys: a qualitative study v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Engagement of people with lived experience in contextualising literature synthesis findings on ‘Acceptance’ and Chronic Pain: a qualitative study
IRAS ID
330055
Contact name
Christopher Seenan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Glasgow Caledonian University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
This study is part of a PhD research programme by CM and her PhD supervisors (CS, ET, DB). CM works as a physiotherapist specialising in chronic pain for NHS Lanarkshire. This research topic is an idea developed from her clinical practice because it is relevant to ways of improving health for people living with chronic pain.
The process of coming to terms with chronic pain can take a long time and cause problems with mood, disruption to life, withdrawing from others, taking too many medications that don’t help and can cause further problems. Sometimes, all of this can make the pain worse and stop people from getting help that will be of benefit in the long term. This research programme previously conducted a literature synthesis, which analysed studies from across the world about the process of coming to terms with chronic pain, what the journey is like, things that can help and things that don’t.
Chronic pain is experienced more often, and severely, in people who are: less financially secure; live in areas of deprivation; women, and people from ethnic minority groups. This study aims to include these groups of people by adapting methods and, for example, paying for transport, conducting close to participant homes, and engaging recruiters early in the design and ethos of the research.
The proposed study seeks to engage people with chronic pain and adverse experience of health inequalities in the earlier literature synthesis findings. Twelve people who live in Lanarkshire will be recruited to take part in three rounds of focus groups and participant diaries. Through using these methods, the aim is to develop a deeper understanding of how people relate to the earlier findings, and how the process and care journey could be improved. Participants will also develop priorities for future research and development.REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SW/0112
Date of REC Opinion
2 Nov 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion