Participants needed for study on chronic pain

A University of Queensland researcher requires participants for a study on the experiences of people with chronic pain.

Mandy Nielsen from the School of Social Work and Applied Human Sciences is studying the experiences of people living with chronic pain.

“Chronic pain has been identified as a major and underestimated healthcare problem, causing significant consequences for the quality of life of the sufferer and their family,” Ms Nielsen said.

“It has been estimated that one in five Australians suffer from chronic pain.”

For the purpose of the study, chronic pain is defined as pain of more than six months duration with minimal or limited identifiable pathology that could explain the presence and extent of pain.

Pain of this type generally does not respond adequately to traditional medical treatment, and the focus is more on pain management rather than cure.

Ms Nielsen said the aim of the study was to explore and describe experiences of living with chronic pain.

“The research process will give people the opportunity to tell the story of their pain experiences in their own words,” she said.

“This information may in turn benefit others if healthcare providers use this knowledge to improve or change the way they work with people with chronic pain.”

Participants need to be aged 18 years or older, have had chronic pain for six months or more, and have no clear diagnosis, more pain than is expected for a diagnosis, or pain persisting longer than expected for a given illness or injury.

Participants will also need to be able to be involved in two tape-recorded interviews with the researcher.

Participants should contact Mandy Nielsen (telephone 07 3365 1257) or (email m.nielsen@social.uq.edu.au).

Media: for more information contact Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479).