Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Chronic pain, affecting a significant portion of the population, contributes to diminished quality of life and increased disability rates. Emerging evidence points towards the substantial role of psychological characteristics, including pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance attitudes, depression, and anxiety, in shaping pain perception and rehabilitation response. These factors also appear to influence recovery rates following injuries. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of these psychological factors on the rehabilitation progress in patients suffering from chronic pain. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out with 200 chronic pain participants. Psychological factors were evaluated at the outset using validated tools (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). Rehabilitation outcomes, specifically pain intensity and disability, were measured both at the baseline and after 12 months. RESULTS: Over the 12-month follow-up period, participants reported significant enhancements in their physical and psychological outcomes. Nevertheless, a correlation was observed between elevated initial levels of psychological distress and subpar results, even after accounting for demographic and clinical characteristics. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlight the critical need to identify and address psychological disorders present in chronic pain patients undergoing rehabilitation. This becomes a point of emphasis for improving their rehabilitation outcomes. Future research should prioritize the development of comprehensive treatments that can significantly enhance rehabilitation outcomes in this population.
Page(s):
48-52
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, Volume: 1, Issue: 1, Year: 2023
Keywords:
Depression
,
anxiety
,
Chronic pain
,
Biopsychosocial Model
,
Rehabilitation Outcomes
,
Pain Catastrophizing
,
FearAvoidance Beliefs