Learning to Manage Chronic Pain: The Patients’ Perspective

INTRODUCTION The objective of the present study was to gain insight into patients' experiences in a 4-week interdisciplinary chronic pain management program by determining major themes from patients' written comments on exit questionnaires. METHODS Upon completion of the program at the Chronic Pain Management Unit (CPMU), patients fill out program satisfaction (Pain Program Satisfaction Questionnaire) and evaluation of goal accomplishment (Self-Evaluation Scale) forms, sections of which are open-ended. Questionnaire data from 50 patients, admitted into the CPMU between May 2013 and December 2014, were randomly selected for this study. Written responses to open-ended sections were obtained. Comments were stratified by gender and coded using an inductive approach. Codes were grouped into categories which were further combined into several major themes. RESULTS Six main themes extracted from comments were (1) impact of a strong interdisciplinary team, (2) learning to adapt in order to manage, (3) the Program as a stepping stone, (4) positive effects of a group effort, (5) improved mental health, and (6) benefits of the program. CONCLUSION The results of this analysis reinforce the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary CPMU program at improving patients' quality of life. Findings may assist in the promotion of the program to stakeholders such as referral sources. The outcomes may also assist in the development of future programs that have similar goals. Concerns that arise within patients' comments may assist clinicians in this program to make adjustments such that all unique needs are met.